"Eugenie," she said to herself, "is lost, and so are we. The affair, as
it will be reported, will cover us with shame; for in a society such as
ours satire inflicts a painful and incurable wound. How fortunate that
Eugenie is possessed of that strange character which has so often
made me tremble!" And her glance was turned towards heaven, where a
mysterious providence disposes all things, and out of a fault, nay, even
a vice, sometimes produces a blessing. And then her thoughts, cleaving
through space like a bird in the air, rested on Cavalcanti. This Andrea
was a wretch, a robber, an assassin, and yet his manners showed the
effects of a sort of education, if not a complete one; he had been
presented to the world with the appearance of an immense fortune,
supported by an honorable name. How could she extricate herself from
this labyrinth? To whom would she apply to help her out of this painful
situation? Debray, to whom she had run, with the first instinct of a
woman towards the man she loves, and who yet betrays her,--Debray could
but give her advice, she must apply to some one more powerful than he.
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