"
"My best reward will be the fulfilment of your promise, your
Excellency," answered De Pean.
"I will keep my word, De Pean. By God you shall have Angelique,
with such a dowry as the Company can alone give! Or, if you do not
want the girl, you shall have the dowry without the wife!"
"I shall claim both, your Excellency! But--"
"But what? Confess all your doubts, De Pean."
"Le Gardeur may claim her as his own reward!" De Pean guessed
correctly enough the true bent of Angelique's fancy.
"No fear! Le Gardeur de Repentigny, drunk or sober, is a gentleman.
He would reject the Princess d'Elide were she offered on such
conditions as you take her on. He is a romantic fool; he believes
in woman's virtue and all that stuff!"
"Besides, if he kill the Bourgeois, he will have to fight Pierre
Philibert before his sword is dry!" interjected Cadet. "I would not
give a Dutch stiver for Le Gardeur's bones five hours after he has
pinked the Bourgeois!"
An open duel in form was not to be thought of, because in that they
would have to fight the son and not the father, and the great object
would be frustrated.
Pages:
940
941
942
943
944
945
946
947
948
949
950
951
952
953
954
955
956
957
958
959
960
961
962
963
964