Page:The genius - Carl Grosse tr Joseph Trapp 1796.djvu/331

 without the least appetite. Who could even suppose your Ladyship to be a native of France?"

Here she put her handkerchief to her face, probably to hide a tear. Her face was now of a glowing red, and her eyes began to sparkle.

"Good God! Madam," cried I with feigned surprise, "you have surely got the fever! Do you wish for a tumbler of water." Here I pushed back my chair, and rose.

"Don't trouble yourself my Lord," returned she, with affected gentleness, while her whole frame was convulsed with rage; she then added, "your Lordship may believe me, that you would be the last person of whom I would accept such an office."

—"Then I will ring a servant." I rung and the man came. "Go to my desk and fetch me a phial full of red powder, which stands on the right hand. Go, make haste!"

"There's no farther occasion for it," returned the marchioness, beckoning the man to withdraw. "Was it perhaps poison, my Lord?" continued she, with a bitter smile.