Page:Marie Corelli - the writer and the woman (IA mariecorelliwrit00coat).pdf/125

 rose from her bouquet-de-corsage, she fastens it in his button-hole, enchanting him completely.

Then comes Silvion Guidèl, nephew of M. Vaudron, Curè of the parish in which live the De Charmilles. Guidèl is destined for the priesthood and possesses considerable personal charms. Beauvais père comments on them:

"A remarkably handsome fellow, that Guidèl!" he said. "Dangerously so, for a priest! It is fortunate that his lady penitents will not be able to see him very distinctly through the confessional gratings, else who knows what might happen! He has a wonderful gift of eloquence too. Dost thou like him, Gaston?"

"No!" I replied frankly, and at once, "I cannot say I do!"

My father looked surprised.

"But why?"

"Impossible to tell, mon père. He is fascinating, he is agreeable, he is brilliant; but there is something in him that I mistrust!"

As events prove, Beauvais fils has only too good reason to distrust the embryo priest. Soon after, Beauvais père is called away to London for several weeks, and, as a consequence of the superintending of the Paris banking house falling entirely to the son, Gaston sees but little of his fiancée. But he is often in the company of Silvion Guidèl, to whom he becomes much attached in spite of his previous feelings towards M. Vaudron's nephew. So, writ