involved seeing no more of that provincial damsel?

My unwillingness to be driven from her presence determined me to
stay. I had come to Lavedan as Lesperon, a fugitive rebel. In that
character I had all but announced myself last night to Mademoiselle.
In that character I had been welcomed by her father. In that
character, then, I must remain, that I might be near her, that I
might woo and win her, and thus - though this, I swear, had now
become a minor consideration with me - make good my boast and win
the wager that must otherwise involve my ruin.

As I lay back with closed eyes and gave myself over to pondering
the situation, I took a pleasure oddly sweet in the prospect of
urging my suit under such circumstances. Chatellerault had given
me a free hand. I was to go about the wooing of Mademoiselle de
Lavedan as I chose. But he had cast it at me in defiance that not
with all my magnificence, not with all my retinue and all my state
to dazzle her, should I succeed in melting the coldest heart in
France.

And now, behold! I had cast from me all these outward
embellishments; I came without pomp, denuded of every emblem of
wealth, of every sign of power; as a poor fugitive gentleman, I
came, hunted, proscribed, and penniless - for Lesperon's estate
would assuredly suffer sequestration. To win her thus would, by
my faith, be an exploit I might take pride in, a worthy achievement
to encompass.

And so I left things as they were, and since I offered no denial
to the identity that was thrust upon me, as Lesperon I continued to