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Updated: June 1, 2025
He envied the young man the advantages which his own bad conduct had forfeited; and he now had learned to hate him with redoubled intensity, as the man who had supplanted him in the affections of Paulina Durski. The two men met in the smoking-room of the club at the most fashionable hour of the day.
My will is to remain in his possession; and should any untimely fate overtake me, he will protect your interests. And now, Mr. Horley, will you be good enough to read the document to Madame Durski, in order that she may understand what her position would be in case of the worst?" Mr. Horley read the will.
So long as you speak of yourself, your words must have the deepest interest for me." "I was reared amongst gamesters, Reginald Eversleigh," continued Paulina Durski, with the same passionate intensity of manner, "My father was an incorrigible gambler; and before I had emerged from childhood to girlhood, the handsome fortune which should have been mine had been squandered.
"Better that I should have the scorn of shallow-brained worldlings than that the blight on her life should continue," he said to himself. "When she is my wife, no man will dare to question her honour no woman will dare to frown upon her when she enters society leaning on my arm." This is what Douglas Dale repeated to himself very often during his courtship of Paulina Durski.
But she was no longer mistress of her heart. That was given to the man whose baseness she knew, and whom she loved despite her better reason. Sir Reginald speedily discovered the state of his cousin's feelings. He had laid his plans for this result. Douglas Dale, as the adoring slave of Madame Durski, would be an easy dupe, and much of Sir Oswald's wealth might yet enrich his disinherited nephew.
"I cannot know the secrets of your heart, Paulina," he replied, with unspeakable sadness in his tone. "You have seemed to me all that is bright, and pure, and true. But how do I know that it is not all seeming? How do I know that Reginald Eversleigh's image may not still hold a place in your heart?" "You insult me, Douglas!" exclaimed Madame Durski, with dignity.
"I will not enter into the question of my friend's merits," said Victor; "but I know that Madame Durski has won the love of a man who is worthy of any woman's affection a man who is rich, and can elevate her from her present doubtful position." The Frenchman uttered these last words with a great appearance of restraint and hesitation.
Here is this woman, quite pleased with herself, and positively looking almost dignified, because she has succeeded in persuading herself that she is actuated by a good motive." The conversation between Miss Brewer and Victor Carrington lasted for some time longer, and then he was left alone, while Miss Brewer went to attend the levee of Madame Durski.
I am not likely to see him again." "I am very glad of that. There is but one fear in my mind when I think of our future, Paulina." "And that is?" "The fear that Reginald Eversleigh may come between you and me." "You need no longer fear that," replied Madame Durski.
The balance was tolerably even, and he left Paris neither richer nor poorer for his acquaintance with Paulina Durski. But that acquaintance exercised a very powerful influence over his destiny, nevertheless. There was a strange fascination in the society of the Austrian widow a nameless, indefinable charm, which few were able to resist.
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