Chapter 24: Attempts to Rescue

⁠​​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌⁠The countess remained absent a long time, while the duke sat at the window of the boudoir gazing out into the frosty winter morning, but without seeing what was passing outside. Before him lay a shattered happiness, a marred destiny. The happiness was his, the destiny hers. "There is surely nothing weaker than a woman—even the strongest!" he thought, shaking his head mournfully. Ought we not to pu