Her words sounded honest, and she
spoke with a real warmth in her bosom, such as she had not felt in a
long time.
Her words impressed Amelie favorably.
"I think you speak truly, Angelique," replied she, "when you say you
regret Le Gardeur's relapse into the evil ways of the Palace. No
one that ever knew my noble brother could do other than regret it.
But oh, Angelique, why, with all your influence over him did you not
prevent it? Why do you not rescue him now? A word from you would
have been of more avail than the pleading of all the world beside!"
"Amelie, you try me hard," said Angelique, uneasily, conscious of
the truth of Amelie's words, "but I can bear much for the sake of Le
Gardeur! Be assured that I have no power to influence his conduct
in the way of amendment, except upon impossible conditions! I have
tried, and my efforts have been vain as your own!"
"Conditions!" replied Amelie, "what conditions?--but I need not ask
you! He told me in his hour of agony of your inexplicable dealing
with him, and yet not so inexplicable now! Why did you profess to
love my brother, leading him on and on to an offer of his hand, and
then cruelly reject him, adding one more to the list of your
heartless triumphs? Le Gardeur de Repentigny was too good for such
a fate from any woman, Angelique!" Amelie's eyes swam in tears of
indignation as she said this.
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