"
"I could kiss his feet! my noble Pierre! Oh, aunt, aunt! what have
I not lost! But I was betrothed to him, was I not?" She started up
with a shriek of mortal agony. "They never can recall that!" she
cried wildly. "He was to have been mine! He is still mine, and
forever will be mine! Death will reunite what in life is sundered!
Will it not, aunt?"
"Yes; be composed, darling, and I will tell you more. Nay, do not
look at me so, Amelie!" The Lady de Tilly stroked her cheek and
kissed the dark eyes that seemed flaring out of their sockets with
maddening excitement.
"When I had recovered strength enough to go to the Castle to see the
Count, Pierre supported me thither. He dared not trust himself to
see Le Gardeur, who from his prison sent message after message to
him to beg death at his hand.
"I held a brief conference with the Governor, La Corne St. Luc, and
a few gentlemen, who were hastily gathered together in the council-
chamber. I pleaded long, not for pardon, not even for Le Gardeur
could I ask for pardon, Amelie!" exclaimed the just and noble
woman,--"but for a calm consideration of the terrible circumstances
which had surrounded him in the Palace of the Intendant, and which
had led directly to the catastrophe.
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