They will give you a handsome fortune
and we will divide it. I will give you back your liberty, and
then we can each of us be happy in our own way.' It was for this
reason that he wished to marry me. I consented on account of my
unborn child. My father and mother had died, and he hoped to
prevail upon me to claim my share of the paternal fortune. As for
claiming it himself, he dared not. He was a coward, and he was
afraid of my brother. But I took a solemn oath that he should
never have a farthing of the wealth he coveted, and neither
threats nor BLOWS could compel me to assert my claim. God only
knows how much I had suffered from his brutality when I at last
succeeded in making my escape with Wilkie. He has sought us
everywhere for fifteen years, but he has not yet succeeded in
finding a trace of us. Still he has not ceased to watch my
brother. I am sure of that, my presentiments never deceive me.
So, if I followed your advice--if I claimed possession of my
brother's fortune--my husband would instantly appear with our
marriage contract in his hands, and demand everything. Shall I
enrich him? No, never, never! I would rather die of want! I would
rather see Wilkie die of starvation before my very eyes!"
Madame d'Argeles spoke in that tone of concentrated rage which
betrays years of repressed passion and unflinching resolution.
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