emotions, experience all the vicissitudes to which a life such as she led
is exposed: hope, fear, happiness, mortification, falsehood, love that
was no love, intrigue within intrigue, and, to crown all, a totally
unexpected conclusion.




CHAPTER V

The chevalier was still holding Angelique's hand when a step resounded
outside, and a voice was heard.

"Can it be that he has come back?" exclaimed the damsel, hastily freeing
herself from the passionate embrace of the chevalier. "It's not
possible! Mon Dieu! Mon Dieu! it's his voice!"

She grew pale to the lips, and stood staring at the door with
outstretched arms, unable to advance or recede.

The chevalier listened, but felt sure the approaching voice belonged
neither to the commander nor to the treasurer.

"'His voice'?" thought Quennebert to himself. "Can this be yet another
aspirant to her favour?"

The sound came nearer.

"Hide yourself!" said Angelique, pointing to a door opposite to the
partition behind which the widow and the notary were ensconced. "Hide