You
were, no doubt, very nervous, and but half awake when you fancied you saw
the occurrence you describe; and Madame de--de--'
'De la Rougierre,' I supplied.
'Yes, thank you--Madame de la Rougierre, who has arrived with excellent
testimonials, strenuously denies the whole thing. Here is a conflict, my
dear--in my mind a presumption of mistake. I confess I should prefer that
theory to a peremptory assumption of guilt.'
I felt incredulous and amazed; it seemed as if a dream were being enacted
before me. A transaction of the most serious import, which I had witnessed
with my own eyes, and described with unexceptionable minuteness and
consistency, is discredited by that strange and suspicious old man with
an imbecile coolness. It was quite in vain my reiterating my statement,
backing it with the most earnest asseverations. I was beating the air. It
did not seem to reach his mind. It was all received with a simper of feeble
incredulity.
He patted and smoothed my head--he laughed gently, and shook his while
I insisted; and Madame protested her purity in now tranquil floods
of innocent tears, and murmured mild and melancholy prayers for my
enlightenment and reformation.
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