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Updated: June 13, 2025
Each day he paid his visit to Puymandour as an accepted suitor, bearing a large bouquet with him, which he regularly presented to his betrothed upon his entrance into the drawing-room, which she accepted with a painful flush rising to her cheek. The pair conversed upon indifferent topics, while an aged female connection sat in the room to play propriety.
At ten o'clock he rose and declared he must leave, and the Duke escorted him the length of the avenue to the great gates opening on the main road, and Norbert, who walked a few paces in the rear, caught now and then a few words of their conversation. "Yes," remarked Puymandour, "I will give a million down."
This coat of arms was to be seen everywhere over the doors, on the walls, and engraved on the silver, and it was believed that M. de Puymandour would have made no objection to their being branded on his breast. In the midst of all this turmoil and bustle Norbert and Marie grew sadder and sadder as each day passed on.
"I have," said he, "to publish the banns of marriage between " here he made a little pause, and all the congregation were on the tenterhooks of expectation; "between," he continued, "Monsieur Louis Norbert, Marquis de Champdoce, a minor, and only legitimate son of Guillaume Caesar, Duke de Champdoce, and of his wife Isabella de Barnaville, now deceased, but who both formerly resided in this parish, and Desiree Anne Marie Palouzet, minor, and legitimate daughter of Rene Augustus Palouzet, Count de Puymandour, and of Zoe Staplet, his wife, but now deceased, also residents of this parish."
You know that you have been much alone, because it was impossible for the friends of Mademoiselle de Puymandour to be those of the Duchess de Champdoce!" "Have I made any opposition to your orders?" "Then, too, our mourning prevents us going out into the world for five months longer at least." "Have I asked to go out?"
She had taken into her service a woman who had been in the service of Marie de Puymandour, and through her had discovered that, previous to her marriage with Norbert, Marie had loved George de Croisenois; and she intended to use this knowledge at some future date as a weapon with which to deal the Duke de Champdoce a deadly blow.
A marriage of this kind would have given him a real position; for to have a Champdoce for a son-in-law would compel all scoffers to bridle their tongues. The day after he had received a favorable reply from the Duke, M. de Puymandour thought that it was time to inform his daughter of his intentions.
I do not suppose that you intend to deny that you have had a little flirtation with her?" "I do not understand you." "Well, I do then, my boy; I heard all about your making love to her. Why, you are really blushing! What is up now?" "I can assure you " De Puymandour burst into a loud laugh.
"What, the daughter of a Puymandour has listened to a declaration of love unknown to her father? Ten thousand furies! Has he written to you? Where are those letters?" "My dear father " "Silence; have you those letters? Let me see them. Come, no delay; I will have those bits of paper, if I turn the whole house upside down."
"M. Norbert was with his father at the time of his seizure, and has given strict orders that he is not to be disturbed on any account; but I must go to him at once, for we are expecting the physicians who are coming from Poitiers." "Very well, then I will go now, but to-night I will send up one of my people for news." With these words, M. de Puymandour walked slowly away, absorbed in thought.
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