Perseus
(the Duke) with one foot on the head of the vanquished monster, bent
towards Andromeda. The breath of her half-opened mouth was hot on his
lips, and he could hear the wild beating of her little heart. He felt
an infinite tenderness steal over him, and when a tear trembled on the
young girl's eyelashes he forgot everything, wiped the tear away
tenderly with the end of his finger and kissed it lovingly. Happily
the turning stage was almost out of sight and nobody except Genevieve
had caught sight of the incident.
Esperance breathed, "God, my God!"
The Duke raised the poor child, and said to her very low, "I love you,
Esperance."
She murmured, "You must not ... you must not."
While he was loosing her chains he continued, "I love you and I will
do anything to win your love."
She strengthened herself desperately.
"You do not need to do anything for it, alas!"
And she fled.
When the Count came to find her, there was only the Duke talking to
the stage hands.
"Where is Esperance?"
"I have no idea," replied Charles de Morlay dryly.
Albert turned on his heel, delighted to see the Duke out of humour.
Genevieve caught up with Andromeda who was running away out of breath,
seeing nothing, hearing nothing. Genevieve saw her enter the grove
leading to the clearing and there she joined her.
"Esperance, my darling, my little sister, stop, I beg you."
Her voice calmed the girl.
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