FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143  
144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   >>   >|  
But what am I to do with him?" asked Bobichel, pointing to Robeccal, "Ah! I have it." He seized a rope and bound Robeccal firmly, and then bundled him into a closet, which he locked and put the key into his pocket. They drove La Roulante out of the house, and locked that door also, and then hurried back to the city. La Roulante when she was thus left hesitated a moment. "No," she said, "if I let him out I shall have to divide the money." And without more thought of Robeccal she too went away. CHAPTER XXXIII. FACE TO FACE. The hotel of the Marquis de Fongereues was ablaze with lights. Magdalena having determined that her son's triumph should be dazzling, invitations had been sent to every one of distinction. For a long time rumors had been in circulation adverse to the Fongereues family, and the gay crowd, always ready to desert a falling house, had shown great coolness to them all. But as soon as the favors shown by the king became known at the clubs, the family were quickly reinstated in public opinion. About nine o'clock carriages began to roll through the streets near the hotel, the doors of which were thrown wide open to welcome the coming guests, who bore the oldest and noblest names of France. Fongereues, under an air of great dignity, concealed the joy and pride that swelled his heart. Magdalena was superb in her matronly beauty and her diamonds. Talizac was excessively pale, his worn face telling the story of his excesses and the excitement of the previous night. Francine's flight, which he believed to have been arranged by the man and woman whom he had employed as his tools, had driven him nearly mad with rage, from which he had not yet recovered. Suddenly a murmur of admiration ran around the room. Mademoiselle de Salves had just come in. Her mother had with difficulty risen from her sick bed to witness the triumph of her child. Irene was certainly very beautiful, and her toilette was characterized by exquisite simplicity. But her face was sad, and the brilliancy of her eyes was due to fever. Why had she come? Why had she not resisted the wishes of her mother? A great change had come over the girl. All her former energy and innumerable caprices had given way to a charming timidity. She was all the time conscious that she concealed a secret in her heart, and that since a certain memorable day she thought of but one person. Her vanity, her patrician pride, all revolted against this
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143  
144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   166   167   168   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Fongereues
 

Robeccal

 

thought

 
mother
 

Magdalena

 

concealed

 

family

 

triumph

 

locked

 

Roulante


arranged

 
believed
 

flight

 
Francine
 
person
 

driven

 

memorable

 

employed

 

previous

 

swelled


revolted

 

superb

 

dignity

 

France

 

matronly

 
beauty
 

telling

 

excesses

 

excitement

 

vanity


patrician

 

diamonds

 
Talizac
 

excessively

 

secret

 

recovered

 

beautiful

 

toilette

 

characterized

 

exquisite


witness
 
simplicity
 

wishes

 

resisted

 

brilliancy

 
energy
 

timidity

 
admiration
 
murmur
 

change