THE COUNT MONTE-LEONE:
OR, THE SPY IN SOCIETY.[10]
TRANSLATED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MONTHLY MAGAZINE FROM THE FRENCH OF H. DE ST. GEORGES.
III. THE DUEL
It was a morning of December, but one of those fitful days when, the sun shining and the sky cloudless, the weather might lead one to suppose it to be spring, were the temperature not so cold and sharp, or if the flowers would only open, and the sun were as warm as it was bright. The young Marquise de Maulear sat over her painting, with Scorpione at her feet, when the Count Monte-Leone was announced.
"Show him in," said Aminta.
The Count entered. He was very pale, and there was a secret emotion on his countenance which Aminta discovered at once.
"What is the matter?" said she; "why have you come so early to see me? I do not reproach you for this; but if you intend by what you do now to stay away this evening, I object to it. I protest against this, Monsieur."
"How beautiful you are!" said Monte-Leone, "and how I love to hear you thus calculate your moments of happiness."