Young Monsieur De Coigney Suffered Little Less From The Turbulence Of
His Nature, And The Mortification It Gave His Vanity, To Find A Person,
Whom He Looked Upon As Every Way His Inferior, Preferred To Him.
His
thoughts were wholly bent on revenge; but in what manner he should
accomplish it, he was for some time uncertain:
When he acquainted his
father with the discovery he had made, and the resentment he had
testified against this unworthy rival, as he called him, the old
gentleman blamed him for taking any notice of it. Let them love on, son,
said he; let them marry; - we shall then have a fine opportunity of
reproaching the haughty baron with his new alliance. This did not
however satisfy monsieur de Coigney: all the love he once had for
mademoiselle Charlotta was now turned into hate; and in spite of his
father's commands not to meddle in the affair, he could not help
throwing out some reflections among his companions, very much to the
disadvantage of the young lady's reputation. But these might possibly
have blown over, as he had but a small time to vent his malice. His
father knowing the violence of his temper, in order to prevent any ill
consequences, compelled him to return to his employment; taking upon
himself the management of that business which had brought him so
unluckily to Paris.
But mademoiselle de Coigney had no sooner been informed by her brother
of the discovery he had made, than she doubted not that it was on the
score of Horatio that he had met with such ill success in his courtship;
and also imagined, that it had been owing to some ill impressions
mademoiselle Charlotta had given the baron de Palfoy, that her father
had been treated by him in the manner already recited. She complained of
it to the baron de la Valiere, and told him, her whole family had been
affronted, and her brother rendered miserable, for the sake of a young
man, who, said she, can neither have birth or fortune to boast of, since
he has been so long a prisoner without any ransom paid, or interposition
offered to redeem him.
The baron was too generous not to vindicate the merits of Horatio, as
much as was consistent with his love and complaisance for his mistress:
he was notwithstanding very much picqued in his mind that a person, to
whom he had given the greatest proofs of a sincere and disinterested
friendship, should have concealed a secret of this nature from him, and
the more so, as he had seemed to expect and desire his confidence. From
this time forward he behaved to him with a coldness which was sufficient
to convince the other of the motive, especially as he found mademoiselle
de Coigney took all opportunities of throwing the most picquant
reflections on him. It is certain that lady was so full of spight at the
indignity she thought her family had received, that she could not help
whispering the attachment of Horatio and Charlotta, not only at St.
Germains, but at Paris also, with inunendo's little less cruel than
those her brother had made use of to his companions; so that between
them, the amour was talked of among all who were acquainted with
either of them.
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