Thanks to your patience, I
have lost Clement. They have all but murdered him! and for
yourself, you had better take care Millicent van Hunker does not
think that such patience is only too easy when she has neither wealth
nor beauty left!'
'Hush, Annora,' he answered, with authority and severity in his tone,
but not half what I deserved; 'there is great excuse for you, but I
cannot permit such things to be said.'
Here Tryphena came in and scolded me for making him talk; I saw how
flushed he was, and became somewhat frightened. They sent me away,
and oh! how long it was ere I was allowed to see him again! For in
the morning, after a night of repenting and grieving over my heat,
and longing to apologise for having reproached him for the delay
which was as grievous to him as to me, the first thing I heard was
that M. le Baron was much worse; he had had a night of fever; there
was more bleeding, and much difficulty of breathing. My mother was
with him, and I was on no account to be admitted.
And when I came out of my room, there sat Madame Croquelebois, who
had been sent for from the Hotel d'Aubepine to keep guard over me,
day and night; for she was lodged in that cabinet of my sister's into
which my room opened, and my door on the other side was locked. It
was an insult, for which the excuse was my interview with Clement.
It made me hot and indignant enough, but there was yet a further
purpose in it.
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