Lucille looked thunderstruck for a moment, then rising, she darted on him a glance of rage and defiance, and overpowered by the tumult within her, she burst into a flood of tears, and covering her face with her hands, sobbed in silence, almost hysterically.
Blassemare waited patiently while she wept on. Suddenly she looked full and fiercely on him, and cried—
"Perhaps you have told me falsehoods, and dared thus to trifle with me."
"I swear, madame, on the honor of a nobleman of France, I have told you the simple truth. De Secqville did not venture to deny the fact; on the contrary, he confessed it frankly."
"Yes—I see you tell me the truth; it was base of De Secqville!"
"Well, to say truth, I did think he might have kept a lady's secret better."
Blassemare was ready and unscrupulous; but all is fair in love.
"I am innocent!" she cried, with abrupt vehemence, and fixing her fiery gaze upon him.
"Of course, madame."
"I say I am innocent, sir. Why do you say of course!"