This conversation, in which, under all his mischievous banter, the duke
seemed to have a definite and serious purpose in view, worried Isabelle
very much, in spite of her efforts to banish it from her mind. Could
it be that Vallombreuse was nursing a secret resentment against de
Sigognac? He had never once spoken his name, or referred to him in
any way, since he was wounded by him; and was he trying to place an
insurmountable barrier between his sister and the baron, by bringing
about her marriage with another? or was he simply trying to find out
whether the actress transformed to a countess, had changed in
sentiments as well as in rank? Isabelle could not answer these questions
satisfactorily to herself. As she was the duke's sister, of course the
rivalry between him and de Sigognac could no longer exist; but, on the
other hand, it was difficult to imagine that such a haughty, vindictive
character as the young duke's could have forgotten, or forgiven, the
ignominy of his first defeat at the baron's hands, and still less of the
second more disastrous encounter. Although their relative positions
were changed, Vallombreuse, in his heart, would doubtless always hate
de Sigognac--even if he had magnanimity enough to forgive him, it could
scarcely be expected that he should also love him, and be willing
to welcome him as a member of his family.
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