I was told a
gentleman had expected me for two days--I rushed into the apartment,
and, when I expected to embrace my husband--I found myself in the arms
of his friend!"
"The villain!" exclaimed Margaret, whose anxiety had, in spite of
herself, been a moment suspended by the narrative of the lady.
"Yes," replied Hermione, calmly, though her voice somewhat faltered,
"it is the name that best--that well befits him. He, Margaret, for
whom I had sacrificed all--whose love and whose memory were dearer to
me than my freedom, when I was in the convent--than my life, when I
was on my perilous journey--had taken his measures to shake me off,
and transfer me, as a privileged wanton, to the protection of his
libertine friend. At first the stranger laughed at my tears and my
agony, as the hysterical passion of a deluded and overreached wanton,
or the wily affection of a courtezan. My claim of marriage he laughed
at, assuring me he knew it was a mere farce required by me, and
submitted to by his friend, to save some reserve of delicacy; and
expressed his surprise that I should consider in any other light a
ceremony which could be valid neither in Spain nor England, and
insultingly offered to remove my scruples, by renewing such a union
with me himself. My exclamations brought Monna Paula to my aid--she
was not, indeed, far distant, for she had expected some such scene.
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