"
Count Jules was baffled; his only hold upon the rich and beautiful Lady
Amelie was broken. What those letters contained was known only to the
lady and himself. If simply the written expressions of her own
unhappiness, he placed more value on them than they were worth. The
chances are that they held more than that.
He was entirely defeated--they had been his last resources for long. He
had never failed, by means of them, to extort money from Lady Lisle at
pleasure. It was useless to threaten any more. She had but to dare him
to bring forth his proofs, and he had not one word to say.
His only consolation was, that in revenge, he had completely blighted
the young hero's life, for hero he was, although his heroism was of a
mistaken kind.
And Lady Amelie--did she feel any regret for the young life tarnished?
She missed a very pleasant companion, an enthusiastic adorer, but as
fortune would have it, there came to England a young Roman prince, who
was both artist and poet, handsome as a Greek god, and wealthy beyond
compare. His appearance created a perfect furore in fashionable society,
and he, as a matter of course, fell in love with Lady Amelie, so that
she soon forgot the young knight who languished in prison. When the
season was over, she persuaded her husband to go to Rome, and never left
even a line or a message for the mistaken young man who had done so much
for her.
She only did what suited her; she was the queen of coquettes, and she
made him useful to her; nothing else mattered.
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