Page 31 (1/1)

Then, in thinking of er, I came to think of Roxalanne herself--that dainty, sweet-faced child into whose chaht And would you believe it that I--the satiated, cynical, unbelieving Bardelys--experienced dis Lavedan for no other reason than because it involved seeing no ness to be driven from her presence deteritive rebel In that character I had all but announced ht to Mademoiselle In that character I had been welcomed by her father In that character, then, I ht woo and win her, and thus--though this, I swear, had now becoood er that must otherwise involve avethe situation, I took a pleasure oddly sweet in the prospect of urging ivenof Mademoiselle de Lavedan as I chose But he had cast it at nificence, not with all my retinue and allthe coldest heart in France

And now, behold! I had cast from me all these outward embellishments; I came without pon of power; as a poor fugitive gentleman, I came, hunted, proscribed, and penniless--for Lesperon's estate would assuredly suffer sequestration To win her thus would, by ht take pride in, a worthy achieves as they were, and since I offered no denial to the identity that was thrust upon me, as Lesperon I continued to be known to the Vicomte and to his family

Presently he called the oldof my condition

"You think, then, Anatole," he said in the end, "that in three or four days Monsieur de Lesperon may be able to rise?"

"I am assured of it," replied the old servant

Whereupon, turning to e, rievous after all"

I wasmy thanks and my assurances that I was in excellent spirits, ere suddenly disturbed by a ru noise as of distant thunder

"Mort Dieu!" swore the Vico into his face With a bent head, he stood in a listening attitude