Fortunately they were just in time to separate in opposite paths,
and thus to enter the castle without any suspicion being excited
of their having been so recently in each other's company. The
marquis angrily remonstrated with his lady for having obliged
him to send in search of her, and she excused herself by protesting
that she had not heard the dinner-bell. The marquis replied, that
the thing was impossible; and after some angry discussion the
matter rested there.
A few days after this the marchioness, with her husband and
cousin, were rambling over the grounds, when they found themselves
at the entrance of a hermitage, where madame de l'Hopital had
told the marquis she had sat down to rest herself on the day of
her failing to attend the dinner-hour. M. de l'Hopital resumed
the dispute, by protesting that from this situation the dinner-bell
might easily be heard: the lady continued firm in protesting it
could not, till, at last, feigning extreme anger, she exclaimed.
"Well then, sir, since you refuse to believe
assertion, go
yourself and ring the bell as loudly as you please, your cousin
will remain here with me, and determine if it be possible to
distinguish the sound from here."
The fool of a marquis set off in the height of his zeal to convince
his wife, and, arriving at the turret where the bell was placed,
began ringing it with all his might and main, leaving the lovers
the undisturbed opportunity they were not slow in taking advantage
of.
Pages:
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265