She had fairly earned it by her
great crime. She had still more fully earned it, she thought, by
her condescensions. She regarded Providence as unjust in
withholding her reward, and for punishing as a sin that which for
her sake ought to be considered a virtue.
She often reflected with regretful looking back upon the joy which
Le Gardeur de Repentigny would have manifested over the least of
the favors which she had lavished in vain upon the inscrutable
Intendant. At such moments she cursed her evil star, which had led
her astray to listen to the promptings of ambition and to ask fatal
counsel of La Corriveau.
Le Gardeur was now in the swift downward road of destruction. This
was the one thing that caused Angelique a human pang. She might yet
fail in all her ambitious prospects, and have to fall back upon her
first love,--when even that would be too late to save Le Gardeur or
to save her.
De Pean rode fast up the Rue St. Louis, not unobservant of the dark
looks of the Honnetes Gens or the familiar nods and knowing smiles
of the partisans of the Friponne whom he met on the way.
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