de Lamont. Permit me to beg of you to
reconsider your decision. On the word of a Prince, you will not have
reason to repent. He is under my protection.'
I thanked His Highness for his condescension, but I assured him that
I had made up my mind not to marry again.
This made him frown, and his face, always harsh, and only redeemed
from ugliness by the fire of his eyes, became almost frightful, so
that it might have terrified a weak person into yielding; but of
course all he could then do was to make a sign to M. de Lamont to
approach, present him to me, and say, 'I have requested Madame to
reconsider her decision,' with which he bowed and left us tete-a-tete
in the throng.
Then I tried to cut short M. de Lamont's transports by telling him
that he must not take the Prince's requesting as the same thing as my
doing it. Moreover, I did what my mother said was brutal and
unbecoming; I informed him that he was mistaken if he thought he
should obtain any claim over my son's estate, for I had nothing but
my husband's portion, and there were other guardians besides myself,
who would not suffer a stranger to have any share in the
administration. Therewith he vehemently exclaimed that I did him
injustice, but I still believe that his intention was, if his Prince
had remained all-powerful, to get the disposition of my son's
property thrown into his hands. My brother Solivet was away with the
army, Eustace in Holland, whence I longed to recall him.
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