"
"I!"
"Yes, you, you little deceiver! Everybody knows that you are engaged to
a young man in the neighborhood, named--wait--I know--Chanlouineau."
Thus the report that annoyed Marie-Anne so much reached her from every
side.
"Everybody is for once mistaken," said she, energetically. "I shall
never be that young man's wife."
"But why? They speak well of him, personally, and he is quite rich."
"Because," faltered Marie-Anne, "because----"
Maurice d'Escorval's name trembled upon her lips; but unfortunately she
did not utter it, prevented by a strange expression on the face of her
friend. How often one's destiny depends upon a circumstance apparently
as trivial as this!
"Impudent, worthless creature!" thought Mlle. Blanche.
Then, in cold and sneering tones, that betrayed her hatred unmistakably,
she said:
"You are wrong, believe me, to refuse this offer. This Chanlouineau
will, at all events, save you from the painful necessity of laboring
with your own hands, and of going from door to door in quest of work
which is refused you.
Pages:
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220