What other course can you possibly think of?
Where would you go, my poor, dear child? But we will discuss this
matter to-morrow. I shall find a way to persuade you to love us,
and to allow yourself to be loved. In MY heart you will fill the
place of the beloved and lamented daughter I have lost--my
beautiful and gentle Bathilde. Once more I say farewell until to-
morrow--trusting that you will accept the sympathy and affection
of your best friend,
"ATHENAIS DE FONDEGE."
Mademoiselle Marguerite was thunderstruck, for the writer of this
epistle was a lady whom she had only met five or six times, who
had never visited her, and with whom she had scarcely exchanged
twenty words. Moreover, she well remembered certain glances with
which Madame de Fondege had, on one occasion, tried to crush her--
glances so full of cruel contempt that they had drawn bitter tears
of sorrow, shame, and anger, from the poor girl. The count
himself had said to her at the time: "Don't be so childish,
Marguerite, as to trouble yourself about this foolish and impudent
woman."
And now this same woman sent her a letter overflowing with
sympathy, and claimed her affection and confidence in the tone of
an old and tried friend. Was such a change natural? Not being
what is called a credulous person, Mademoiselle Marguerite was
unable to believe it. She divined that Madame de Fondege must
have had some hidden motive in writing such a letter--but what
motive was it? Alas! she divined this also only too well.
Pages:
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425