Page:Georges Eekhoud - Escal Vigor, a novel.djvu/140

116 would be the harm? Good heavens, she might have fallen in with a male much more repulsive than he! As regards personal advantages, the coachman considered himself at least the equal of his master. The fair one would thus lose nothing over the exchange.

Kehlmark continued to put up with the tone and manners of this free-mouthed jack-a-napes, as to whose real character and disposition he was completely mistaken. The Count was even minded to believe that the licentiousness and cynicism of the fellow were the result of an excess of frankness and a largeness of views, almost philosophic, and analogous some what to his own ideas.

The Count had moreover, been touched by the eagerness with which the domestic had agreed to quit the capital and accompany him to Smaragdis:

"So thou, too, wilt come and bury thyself with me on this gull's perch, my poor Thibaut? Well, that's not bad of thee!"

He was far from imagining the real springs of action in the ruffian's mind, his utter blindness even going so far as to consider his fidelity and devotion as on a par with that of the noble Blandine. In truth, he would perhaps have less easily