This was especially the case on the
6th of June, as the people had so much to talk about, and most of the
men wished to see either the old or the young master, and most of the
women wanted to speak to one of the ladies; by degrees, however, the
chateau was cleared, and Agatha with a trembling heart retreated to her
own little sitting-room upstairs to keep her appointment with Adolphe
Denot.
She had not been long there, when Adolphe knocked at the door: he had
been there scores of times before, and had never knocked; but, although
he was going to propose to make Agatha his wife, he felt that he could
no longer treat her, with his accustomed familiarity.
He entered the room and found Agatha seated; so far she had taken her
friend's advice; she was very pale, but still she looked calm and
dignified, and was certainly much less confused than her lover.
"Agatha," said he, having walked up to the fire-place, and leaning with
his arm upon the mantle-piece, "Agatha, tomorrow I start for Saumur."
He was dressed very point-de-vice; the frills of his shirt were most
accurately starched; his long black hair was most scrupulously brushed;
his hands were most delicately white; his boots most brilliantly
polished; he appeared more fit to adorn the salon of an ambassador, than
to take a place as a warrior beneath the walls of a besieged town.
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