Why the devil should
such an unlucky fellow as he had always been venture to aspire
to happiness? It was all foolishness, and sure to end in bitter
disappointment; but he had had his lesson now, and would be wiser for
the future.
He sat perfectly motionless for a long time, plunged in a sad
reverie--sunk in a species of torpor; but he roused himself at last, and
perceiving that his faithful old follower's eyes were fixed upon him,
full of timid questioning that he did not venture to put into words,
briefly related to him the principal incidents of his journey up to the
capital, and his short stay there. When he graphically described his two
duels with the Duke of Vallombreuse--the old man, filled with pride and
delight at the proficiency of his beloved pupil, could not restrain his
enthusiasm, and snatching up a stick gave vigorous illustrations of all
the most salient points of the encounters as the baron delineated them,
ending up with a wild flourish and a shout of triumph.
"Alas! my good Pierre," said he, with a sigh, when quiet was restored,
"you taught me how to use my sword only too well. My unfortunate victory
has been my ruin, and has sent me back, hopeless and bereaved, to this
poor old crumbling chateau of mine, where I am doomed to drag out
the weary remainder of my days in sorrow and misery.
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