She did not understand that in the simplicity of his heart, he only wished to make amends. The quarrel with the young Vicomte de Marny had been forced upon him, the fight had been honourable and fair, and on his side fought with every desire to spare the young man. He had merely been the instrument of Fate, but he felt happy that Fate once more used him as her tool, this time to save the sister.
Whilst Déroulède and Juliette talked together Anne Mie cleared the supper-table, then came and sat on a low stool at madame’s feet. She took no part in the conversation, but every now and then Juliette felt the girl’s melancholy eyes fixed almost reproachfully upon her.
When Juliette had retired with Pétronelle, Déroulède took Anne Mie’s hand in his.
“You will be kind to my guest, Anne Mie, won’t you? She seems very lonely, and has gone through a great deal.”
“Not more than I have,” murmured the young girl involuntarily.
“You are not happy, Anne Mie? I thought...”
“Is a wretched, deformed creature ever happy?” she said with sudden vehemence, as tears of mortification rushed to her eyes, in spite of herself.
“I did not think that you were wretched,” he replied with some sadness, “and neither in my eyes, nor in my mother’s, are you in any way deformed.”
Her mood changed at once. She clung to him, pressing his hand between her own.
“Forgive me! I—I don’t know what’s the matter with me to-night,” she said with a nervous little laugh. “Let me see, you asked me to be kind to Mademoiselle Marny, did you not?”
He nodded with a smile.
“Of course I’ll be kind to her. Isn’t every one kind to one who is young and beautiful, and has great,
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Fast-paced, quick and fun, always a delight to read, this was my first introduction to The Scarlet Pimpernel, which is why I will always forgive its paper-thin characters, melodrama and purple prose (which I absolutely adore).