"Yes, of a richesse. And so I have given all the Gurrage money back to one of their family—you may remember her—Amelia Hoad was her name."
"Ah!" he said, and he kissed my hand. "That was worthy of you and worthy of your race. It would have pleased our dear madam."
"I had become so rich, you see, from papa, I did not really want the money, and I had a feeling that if I gave it all back I should have no further ties with them. I could slip away into another atmosphere and gradually forget this year of my life."
We had a delightful luncheon, in spite of my poor old guest's infirmities; he had grown blinder and more tottering since last we met. He eat very little and sipped his sparkling hock.
I had determined somehow to try and give him some of my great wealth; but how even to broach the subject I did not know. At last, driven into a corner with nervousness, I blurted out my wishes.
"Oh, I want you to benefit too, dear friend!" I said. "You shared our poverty, why not my riches?"
His old, faded cheeks turned pink. He rose from his chair.
"I thank you, madam," he said, haughtily. "The de Rochermonts do not accept money from women."
I felt as I used to when grandmamma was ever displeased with me. My knees shook.
"Oh, please forgive me!" I implored. "I have always looked upon myself as almost your child, although we are no relations, dear Marquis, and I thought—"