`` How if she is a former love ? '' he asked , with a sly look at her changing face . `` It would cause me no surprise ; I am prepared for anything . '' `` How if she is my dearest sister , for whom I sent , that she might welcome you and bring the greetings of my parents to their new daughter ? '' `` Is it , indeed , so ? '' And Helen 's eyes dimmed as the thought of parents , home and love filled her heart with tenderest gratitude , for she had long been an orphan . '' Leibchen , it is true ; to-morrow you shall see how dear you already are to them , for I write often and they wait eagerly to receive you . '' Helen felt herself going very fast , and made an effort to harden her heart , lest too easy victory should reward this audacious lover . `` I may not go ; I also have friends , and in England we are not won in this wild way . I will yet prove you false ; it will console me for being so duped if I can call you traitor . You said Casimer had fought in Poland . '' `` Crudest of women , he did , but under his own name , Sidney Power . '' `` Then , he was not the brave Stanislas ? -- and there is no charming Casimer ? '' `` Yes , there are both , -- his and my friends , in Paris ; true Poles , and when we go there you shall see them . '' `` But his illness was a ruse ? '' `` No ; he was wounded in the war and has been ill since . Not of a fatal malady , I own ; his cough misled you , and he has no scruples in fabling to any extent . I am not to bear the burden of his sins . '' `` Then , the romances he told us about your charity , your virtues , and -- your love of liberty were false ? ''
said XXXXX , with a keen glance , for these tales had done much to interest her in the unknown baron .
England Helen Leibchen Paris Poland Power Stanislas scruples tenderest war