396 THE WIDOWED WIFE. 



" What can you have to say to me, sir ?" was the answer he 

 received. 



" Oh, Lily, I perceive by your cold, your cruel conduct, that you 

 think me a faithless villain but by heavens you wrong me." 



" Indeed," faintly uttered Lily. 



" Aye, indeed you do. It is my father who forces me to marry 



Madame Delcourt, because pray do not turn away if you will 



but listen, I will explain all and you, instead of neglecting me thus, 

 will pity me, I am sure ; for believe me, dearest Lily, I ever have, 

 and ever shall, love you ? 



" And marry my aunt ?" 



" Why will you taunt me ? What can I do ? Will you but listen 

 to my explanation ? 



" Well !" said the distressed and anxious girl. 



" You know, some time back, that your aunt lent my father 3000 

 francs for a time, to pay off a mortgage on his farm, which would 

 have ruined him." 



Well !" 



Cf His bond for that 3000 francs is now due, and she has offered to 

 release him from it, on his effecting my marriage with her ; he, over- 

 joyed at the proposal, will not hear any reason, but has peremptorily 



commanded me to sacrifice my happiness for life, and marry her 



You hear me, dearest Lily, do you not ?" 



" Yes, Baptiste." 



" And do you not pity me ? you know how dearly I love you 



you must know it."- He again paused and on receiving no assent 



from Lily, he continued, " I never yet have disobeyed my father ! 

 never in thought or word although but tell me now, but let me 

 think, that you feel I have intentionally slighted you much as I 

 honour his commands, and I have proved I do he shall not be 

 obeyed on this one distressing point." 



" No no Baptiste you must not do that. It would be very 

 wrong." 



<s Then tell me, have I exculpated myself?" Lily's preferred hand 

 was the only answer Baptiste received. 



" Dear, dear Lily how very much I love you !" exclaimed he 



passionately. 



" God bless you, Baptiste and though hush here comes your 



father for God's sake, let go my hand." 



" Ah, Monsieur Claremont," said Antoinette, overtaking him from 

 the interior of the house as he stepped on the lawn, " my aunt wants 

 to see you particularly she told me to tell you so." 



" Indeed !" exclaimed he, " then I must be off to her. I think I 

 know what she wants me for at least I hope I do. Is she dressed 

 all ready ?" 



" Oh yes quite," answered Antoinette. ' By the way is Mon- 

 sieur Le Grande come yet ?" 



" Not yet, I'm sorry to say, and that makes me rather uneasy, 

 though that he will arrive I have not the least doubt, as he says so in 

 his letter ; and as we have never yet seen each other, I'm sure he will 



not neglect this opportunity of becoming acquainted with me. 



But where did you say Madame Delcourt was ?" 



