And yet, this name of Marie-Anne upon the lips of Mlle. de Courtornieu,
caused his glance to waver.
"They know each other!" he thought.
In an instant he was himself again; but Mlle. Blanche had perceived his
momentary agitation.
"What can it mean?" she wondered, much disturbed.
Still, it was with the perfect assumption of innocence that she
continued:
"In fact, you must have seen her, this poor Marie-Anne, Monsieur le
Marquis, since her father was the guardian of Sairmeuse?"
"Yes, I have seen her, Mademoiselle," replied Martial, quietly.
"Is she not remarkably beautiful? Her beauty is of an unusual type, it
quite takes one by surprise."
A fool would have protested. The marquis was not guilty of this folly.
"Yes, she is very beautiful," said he.
This apparent frankness disconcerted Mlle. Blanche a trifle; and it was
with an air of hypocritical compassion that she murmured:
"Poor girl! What will become of her? Here is her father, reduced to
delving in the ground."
"Oh! you exaggerate, Mademoiselle; my father will always preserve
Lacheneur from anything of that kind.
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