Then, seeing me go to certain death, the noble fellow pitied
me. I mean this is how I understood it all at the time; at any rate, he
promised to marry Rose if he should live."
Josephine put out her hand, and with a horrible smile said, "I thank
you; you have saved the honor of our family;" and with no more ado, she
took the glass in her hand to drink the fatal contents.
But Raynal's reply arrested her hand. He said solemnly, "No, I have
not. Have you no inkling of the terrible truth? Do not fiddle with
that glass: drink it, or leave it alone; for, indeed, I need all your
attention."
He took the glass out of her patient hand, and with a furtive look at
the bedroom-door, drew her away to the other end of the room; "and,"
said he, "I could not tell your mother, for she knows nothing of the
girl's folly; still less Rose, for I see she loves him still, or why is
she so pale? Advise me, now, whilst we are alone. Colonel Dujardin was
COMPARATIVELY indifferent to YOU. Will you undertake the task? A rough
soldier like me is not the person to break the terrible tidings to that
poor girl.
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