Heart of Steel; A Novel (Paperback)

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: ings, during their absence in America, that I am about to pay a visit." " So you are about to pay a visit?and not to me! Yet I fancied I was your chief friend in Paris." "Do not fancy, but be sure of it," he replied, with a smile. "This is a visit in which there could be no more delay than in obeying a royal command?for what royalty is like that of misfortune? When I arrived this morning, the first thing which I did was naturally to send to my banker for letters. Among them was a note from a lady whom I have known long and well, telling me of her presence in Paris, and desiring to see me. You have often heard of her. She was once the Countess Waldegrave?she is now called Madame Lescar." " Indeed! Of course I have heard of her, but I have never seen her; and I fancied, somehow, that she was dead." " She has been dead to the world for several years. After her career as a singer in America ended, she came abroad?partly to educate her daughter; partly, I think, because she likes Europe, and can live here quietly and cheaply. She spends her winters in Italy and her summers in Switzerland. I have chanced to be of service to her several times?there is an hereditary friendship between our families?and now she calls upon me whenever she needs a friend." " I am sure she could not find a better," said his listener. " And so she has a daughter! Ah, what a sad story it was! I always admired her pride in refusing to accept anything from the man who sacrificed her to his ruthless ambition." " You would admire much?perhaps all?about her, if you knew her." "And can I not know her? I like to meet interesting people as much as I dislike meeting commonplace ones." " It may be possible, and she is certainly worth knowing, for she is a woman who has borne great misfortunes with ...