Before the door of the mansion of the Chevalier des Meloises he saw
a valet of the Intendant holding his master's horse, and at the
broad window, half hid behind the thick curtains, sat Bigot and
Angelique engaged in badinage and mutual deceiving, as De Pean well
knew.
Her silvery laugh struck his ear as he drew up. He cursed them
both; but fear of the Intendant, and a due regard to his own
interests, two feelings never absent from the Chevalier De Pean,
caused him to ride on, not stopping as he had intended.
He would ride to the end of the Grande Allee and return. By that
time the Intendant would be gone, and she would be at liberty to
receive his invitation for a ride to-morrow, when they would visit
the Cathedral and the market.
De Pean knew enough of the ways of Angelique to see that she aimed
at the hand of the Intendant. She had slighted and vilipended
himself even, while accepting his gifts and gallantries. But with a
true appreciation of her character, he had faith in the ultimate
power of money, which represented to her, as to most women,
position, dress, jewels, stately houses, carriages, and above all,
the envy and jealousy of her own sex.
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