anishing
Chevet, and compelling De Artigny to remain well in advance. He was
testing me now by his tales of Quebec, his boasting of friendship with
the Governor, his stories of army adventure, and the wealth he
expected to amass through his official connections. Yet the very tone
he assumed, the conceit shown in his narratives, only served to add to
my dislike. This creature was my husband, yet I shrank from him, and
once, when he dared to touch my hand, I drew it away as though it were
contamination. It was then that hot anger leaped into his eyes, and
his true nature found expression before he could restrain the words:

"_Mon Dieu!_ What do you mean, you chit?"

"Only that I am not won by a few soft words, Monsieur," I answered
coldly.

"But you are my wife; 'twill be well for you to remember that."

"Nor am I likely to forget, yet because a priest has mumbled words
over us does not make me love you."

"_Sacre!_" he burst forth, yet careful to keep his voice pitched to my
ears alone, "you think me a plaything, but you shall learn yet that I
have claws. Bah! do you imagine I fear the coxcomb ahead?"

"To whom do you refer, Monsieur?"

"Such innocence! to that boot-licker of La Salle's to whom you give
your smiles, and pretty words."

"Rene de Artigny!" I exclaimed pleasantly, and then laughed. "Why how
ridiculous you are, Monsieur. Better be jealous of Pere Allouez
yonder, for of him I see far the most. Why do you pick out De Artigny
on whom to vent your anger?"

"I like not the way he eyes you, nor your secret meetings with him in
Quebec."

"If he even sees me I know it not, and as for secret meetings, knew
you not that Sister Celeste was with me while we talked."

"Not in the Governor's palace."

"You accuse me of that then," indignantly. "Because I am your wife,
you can insult, yet it was your hand that drew aside the curtain, and
found me alone. Do you hope to gain my respect by such base charges as
that, Monsieur?"

"Do you deny that he had been with you?"

"I? Do I deny! It is not worthy my while. Why should I? We were not
married then, nor like to be to my knowledge. Why, then, if I wished,
was it not my privilege to speak with the Sieur de Artigny? I have
found him a very pleasant, and polite young man."

"A pauper, his only fortune the sword at his side."

"Ah, I knew not even that he possessed one. Yet of what interest can
all this be to me, Monsieur, now that I am married to you?"

Tha