The Argosy, Vol. 83 No. 1 — page 148: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

138 “Very well, sire. Let me say, then, that it has become a matter of common gossip in the Faubourg that there is a secret un- derstanding between Mlle de Valliéres and this American.” “Youre an infamous liar,” said Chan. “On the very night that we were pro- claiming you, sire, in the Chateau Lenoir, this honored guest of yours was taking advantage of your absence to make love to Mlle de Valliéres. And as for you call- ing me a liar, sir, I suppose that I shall have to chastise you later for that—al- though it ought to be with a dog-whip. Your majesty, I crave pardon tor thus speaking in your majesty’s presence. But not even this Sieur Knowlton will have the effrontery to deny the truth of this latter accusation.” “He has not denied it, M. de Warren,” said the duke. ‘He has already told me all the circumstances.” The Count du Barry had been hearing all of this with a self contained anger and amazement that made him shake. He was very rigid. He spoke, but it was with a visible effort. ‘““All of this is very unseemly. Let us not forget that, after all, the causé of our beloved France is the first consideration. I believe that this holy cause calls for sacrifice on the part of each of us. I have said as much to Mlle de Valliéres herself. I hope that your majesty will put an end to all gossip, to all differences, by author- izing me to announce your cousin’s en- gagement to the Marquis de Warren.” “Why the precipitation?” “In the first place,” said the count, “there are the very considerable elements which the marquis, both by reason of his family and his fortune, can assure to us when the critical moment arrives.” This allusion to his power encouraged the marquis to speak again for himself. “And in the second place,” he inter- posed, ‘it will be one reason the less for the continued presence of the American. I recognized him for what he was the very first day I saw him. Your majesty him- _ self could not have been blind at the out- THE ARGOSY. rageous interest he displayed immediately im your majesty’s cousin.” “Was that why you thought it better that he drown?” asked the duke, with a semblance of humor. ‘Another of his falsifications!” During all this Knowlton had been hike a man with chills and fever, with alter- nate spells of cold and heat. It wasn’t on account of himself. He was sure of that. Whatever happened to him he was already infinitely richer than when he had left Bayou Lafarge. He had started out in a quest of ad- venture and romance. These things never came without suffering. He had no com- plaint to make so far as he himself was concerned. But it had hurt him each time the name of the Princess Blanche was mentioned. It made him altogether sick to think that he might become an instrument of dis- aster to this other person he so greatly loved, the Duke of Angouléme. He got slowly to his feet. “I feel that the time has come for me to withdraw,” he said, “not only from this room, but from the house, and from my position of confidence in the service of the Duke of Angouléme. There is only one last privilege that I desire.” “Before you talk of that,” said the duke, “let me tell you—and you other gentlemen—that if there has been con- tinued friendship between M. Knowlton and Mile. de Valliéres it is because I have permitted it. There has been nothing dis- honorable. God forbid even the thought of such a thing! M. Knowlton came to me like the true gentleman that he is and confessed to me that he loved Blanche. And Blanche, when I questioned her, told me that she loved M. Knowlton—” - “Jean,” cried Chan, “don’t say it!” “T shall say it; and I shall also say that if M. de Warren thinks that he can bar- gain in an affair like this I shall unde- ceive him immediately.” “T ask you, for the love of Heaven, to settle these differences among you,” plead- ed Chan. COMMICLOOOK (C@)