Part 56 (1/2)
”Must it really be all? Andre is very dear to his Godfather”
The pleading tone cut him like a knife; and then suddenly it aroused another emotion--an emotion which he realized to be utterly unworthy, an e pride of race, see, yet not to be repressed He hesitated to give it utterance; hesitated even re as that in a ht conceivably discover a rival Yet that sudden pang of jealousy was stronger than his monstrous pride
”And to you, mademoiselle? What is this Andre-Louis Moreau to you? You will pardon the question But I desire clearly to understand”
Watching her he beheld the scarlet stain that overspread her face
He read in it at first confusion, until the gleaer That comforted him; since he had affronted her, he was reassured It did not occur to hiht have another source
”Andre and I have been playard him as a brother Were I in need of help, and were my uncle not available, Andre would be the first man to whom I should turn Are you sufficiently answered, monsieur? Or is there more of me you would desire revealed?”
He bit his lip He was unnerved, he thought, this ; otherwise the silly suspicion hich he had offended could never have occurred to hiive that I should have troubled you with such a question You have answered more fully than I could have hoped or wished”
He said no more than that He waited for her to resume At a loss, she sat in silence awhile, a pucker on her white brow, her fingers nervously druainst the impassive, polished front that he presented
”I have co”
She saw the faint raising of his dark eyebrows, the faintly regretful se his fine lips, and she hurried on ”What honour can await you in such an engagement, monsieur?”
It was a shrewd thrust at the pride of race that she accounted his paramount sentied hiood
”I do not seek honour in it, e It has been thrust upon me, and in honour I cannot draw back”
”Why, what dishonour would there be in sparing hie in question? None could misapprehend your motives”
”You are mistaken, mademoiselle My et that this young man has acquired in the past week a certain reputation that ht well make a man hesitate to meet him”
She brushed that aside al it the merest quibble
”Some men, yes But not you, M le Marquis”
Her confidence in hi But there was a bitterness behind the sweet
”Even I, mademoiselle, let me assure you And there is more than that
This quarrel which M Moreau has forced upon -drawn persecution”
”Which you invited,” she cut in ”Be just, monsieur”
”I hope that it is not in my nature to be otherwise, mademoiselle”