"She
never said that!" repeated he fiercely. "I would swear it on my
mother's head, she never did! and would kill any man who would dare
affirm it of her!"
"Right! the way to win a woman is never to give her up," answered De
Pean. "Hark you, Le Gardeur, all the city knows that she favored
you more than any of the rest of her legion of admirers. Why are
you moping away your time here at Tilly when you ought to be running
down your game in the city?"
"My Atalanta is too fleet of foot for me, De Pean," replied Le
Gardeur. "I have given up the chase. I have not the luck of
Hippomanes."
"That is, she is too fast!" said De Pean mockingly. "But have you
thrown a golden apple at her feet to stop your runaway nymph?"
"I have thrown myself at her feet, De Pean! and in vain," said Le
Gardeur, gulping down another cup of brandy.
De Pean watched the effect of the deep potations which Le Gardeur
now poured down to quench the rising fires kindled in his breast.
"Come here, Le Gardeur," said he; "I have a message for you which I
would not deliver before, lest you might be angry.
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