She
acceded to the arrangement, and left the Cathedral in company with
the Sieur La Force, whom she knew as the son of an old and valued
friend.
He accompanied her home, while Amelie, holding fast to the arm of
Angelique until the church was empty of all but a few scattered
devotees and penitents, led her into a side chapel, separated from
the body of the church by a screen of carved work of oak, wherein
stood a small altar and a reliquary with a picture of St. Paul.
The seclusion of this place commended itself to the feelings of
Amelie. She made Angelique kneel down by her side before the altar.
After breathing a short, silent prayer for help and guidance, she
seized her companion by both hands and besought her "in God's name
to tell her what she had done to Le Gardeur, who was ruining
himself, both soul and body."
Angelique, hardy as she was, could ill bear the searching gaze of
those pure eyes. She quailed under them for a moment, afraid that
the question might have some reference to Beaumanoir, but reassured
by the words of Amelie, that her interview had relation to Le
Gardeur only, she replied: "I have done nothing to make Le Gardeur
ruin himself, soul or body, Amelie.
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