"It is," said he.
"One question more. Did she tell you I had--I had"--
"Why, as to that, she was in no condition to deny she had fallen, poor
girl; the evidence was too strong. She did not reveal her seducer's
name; but I had not far to go for that."
"One question more," said Dujardin, with a face of anguish. "Is it
Jos--is it Madame Raynal's wish I should marry her sister?"
"Why, of course," said Raynal, in all sincerity, assuming that naturally
enough as a matter of course; "if you have any respect for HER feelings,
look on me as her envoy in this matter."
At this Camille turned sick with disgust; then rage and bitterness
swelled his heart. A furious impulse seized him to expose Josephine on
the spot. He overcame that, however, and merely said, "She wishes me to
marry her sister, does she? very well then, I decline."
Raynal was shocked. "Oh," said he, sorrowfully, "I cannot believe this
of you; such heartlessness as this is not written in your face; it is
contradicted by your past actions."
"I refuse," said Dujardin, hastily; and to tell the truth, not sorry to
inflict some pain on the honest soldier who had unintentionally driven
the iron so deep into his own soul.
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