What to him
are my feelings, my inclinations, my affections? Things of no moment, to
be sacrificed so that I may serve him in the manner that will bring him the
most profit. Yet you call him not selfish! Were he not selfish, I should
go to him and say: 'I love Genevi?ve de Canaples. Create me Duke as you
would do, did I wed her sister, and the Chevalier de Canaples will not
withstand our union.' What think you would be his answer?"
"I have a shrewd idea what his answer would be," I replied slowly. "Also I
have a shrewd idea of what he will say when he learns in what manner you
have defied his wishes."
"He can but order me away from Court, or, at most, banish me from France."
"And then what will become of you--of you and your wife?"
"What is to become of us?" he cried in a tone that was almost that of
anger. "Think you that I am a pauper dependent upon my uncle's bounty? I
have an estate near Palermo, which, for all that it does not yield riches,
is yet sufficient to enable us to live with dignity and comfort. I have
told Genevi?ve, and she is content."
I looked at his flushed face and laughed.
Pages:
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198