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Updated: June 9, 2025
There had been an ancient feud between his family and the Vaufontaines, whose rights to the succession, after his eldest son, were to this time paramount. For three years past he had had a whole monastery of Benedictine monks at work to find some collateral branch from which he might take a successor to Leopold John, his imbecile heir but to no purpose.
Then with a triumphant, vindictive smile which puckered his yellow cheeks like a wild apple, he said: "The Comte de Tournay is welcome to behold an end of the ambitions of the Vaufontaines." He looked towards Philip with an exulting pride.
There is the concurrence of the English King to secure; that shall be has already been my business. There is the assent of Leopold John to achieve; that I shall command. There are the grave formalities of adoption to arrange; these I shall expedite. You shall see, Master Insolence you, who'd throw me and my duchy over for your trade; you shall see how the Vaufontaines will gnash their teeth!"
He felt himself privileged in being thus selfish; and he had made the alliance that he might pursue, unchecked, the one remaining object of his life. This object had now grown from a habit into a passion. It was now his one ambition to arrange a new succession excluding the Vaufontaines, a detested branch of the Bercy family.
"A fanatic like all the Vaufontaines a roysterer yesterday, a sainted chevalier to-morrow," said the Duke irritably. "But they still have strength and beauty always!" he added reluctantly. Then he looked at the strong and comely frame before him, and was reassured.
Then with a triumphant, vindictive smile which puckered his yellow cheeks like a wild apple, he said: "The Comte de Tournay is welcome to behold an end of the ambitions of the Vaufontaines." He looked towards Philip with an exulting pride.
If, charmed by his own new virtues, he is constant in his enthusiasm, behold a St. Augustine! Everything is with the returned prodigal the more so if he be of the notorious Vaufontaines, who were ever saints turned sinners, or sinners turned saints. Tell me, my good friend, where is room for pride in me?
Why didst Thou send me a fool to lead our house, and afterwards a lad as fine and strong as Absalom, and then lay him low like a wisp of corn in the wind, leaving me wifeless with a prince to follow me, the by-word of men, the scorn of women and of the Vaufontaines?" He paused again, and his eyes seemed to pierce Philip's, as though he would read if each word was burning its way into his brain.
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