"
"Monsieur," said Dumay, "I shall be brief. You have seduced--how, I do
not know--a young lady in Havre, young, beautiful, and rich; the last
and only hope of two noble families; and I have come to ask your
intentions."
Canalis, who had been busy during the last three months with serious
matters of his own, and was trying to get himself made commander of
the Legion of honor and minister to a German court, had completely
forgotten Modeste's letter."
"I!" he exclaimed.
"You!" repeated Dumay.
"Monsieur," answered Canalis, smiling; "I know no more of what you are
talking about than if you had said it in Hebrew. I seduce a young
girl! I, who--" and a superb smile crossed his features. "Come, come,
monsieur, I'm not such a child as to steal fruit over the hedges when
I have orchards and gardens of my own where the finest peaches ripen.
All Paris knows where my affections are set. Very likely there may be
some young girl in Havre full of enthusiasm for my verses,--of which
they are not worthy; that would not surprise me at all; nothing is
more common. See! look at that lovely coffer of ebony inlaid with
mother-of-pearl, and edged with that iron-work as fine as lace.
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