This spontaneous praise of Caroline touched him
somewhat. "You have done well! Now can you keep another secret,
dame?"
"A secret! and entrusted to me by your Excellency!" replied she, in
a voice of wonder at such a question. "The marble statue in the
grotto is not closer than I am, your Excellency. I was always too
fond of a secret ever to part with it! When I was the Charming
Josephine of Lake Beauport I never told, even in confession, who
they were who--"
"Tut! I will trust you, dame, better than I would have trusted the
Charming Josephine! If all tales be true, you were a gay girl,
dame, and a handsome one in those days, I have heard!" added the
Intendant, with well-planned flattery.
A smile and a look of intelligence between the dame and Bigot
followed this sally, while Cadet had much to do to keep in one of
the hearty horse-laughs he used to indulge in, and which would have
roused the whole Chateau.
The flattery of the Intendant quite captivated the dame. "I will go
through fire and water to serve your Excellency, if you want me,"
said she.
Pages:
841
842
843
844
845
846
847
848
849
850
851
852
853
854
855
856
857
858
859
860
861
862
863
864
865