iedinremainingpassivewhileitisperformed.IknowIdidnotreason,Ididnotplanorintend,yet,whereasonemomentIwassittingsolusonthechairnearthetable,thenext,IheldFrancesonmyknee,placedtherewithsharpnessanddecision,andretainedwithexceedingtenacity.
“Monsieur!”criedFrances,andwasstill:notanotherwordescapedherlipssorelyconfoundedsheseemedduringthelapseofthefirstfewmomentsbuttheamazementsoonsubsidedterrordidnotsucceed,norfury:afterall,shewasonlyalittlenearerthanshehadeverbeenbefore,tooneshehabituallyrespectedandtrustedembarrassmentmighthaveimpelledhertocontend,butself-respectcheckedresistancewhereresistancewasuseless.
“Frances,howmuchregardhaveyouforme?”wasmydemand.Noanswerthesituationwasyettoonewandsurprisingtopermitspeech.Onthisconsideration,Icompelledmyselfforsomesecondstotoleratehersilence,thoughimpatientofit:presently,Irepeatedthesamequestion—probably,notinthecalmestoftonesshelookedatmemyface,doubtless,wasnomodelofcomposure,myeyesnostillwellsoftranquillity.
“Dospeak,”Iurgedandaverylow,hurried,yetstillarchvoicesaid—
“Monsieur,vousmefaitesmaldegracelachezunpeumamaindroite.”
IntruthIbecameawarethatIwasholdingthesaid“maindroite”inasomewhatruthlessgrasp:Ididasdesiredand,forthethirdtime,askedmoregently—
“Frances,howmuchregardhaveyouforme?”
“Monmaitre,j’enaibeaucoup,”wasthetruthfulrejoinder.
“Frances,haveyouenoughtogiveyourselftomeasmywife?—toacceptmeasyourhusband?”
Ifelttheagitationoftheheart,Isaw“thepurplelightoflove”castitsglowingreflectiononcheeks,temples,neckIdesiredtoconsulttheeye,butshelteringlashandlidforbade.
“Monsieur,”saidthesoftvoiceatlast,—“Monsieurdesiresavoirsijeconsens—si—enfin,sijeveuxmemarieraveclui?”
“Justement.”
“Monsieursera-t-ilaussibonmariqu’ilaetebonmaitre?”
“Iwilltry,Frances.”
Apausethenwithanew,yetstillsubduedinflexionofthevoice—aninflexionwhichprovokedwhileitpleasedme—accompanied,too,bya“sourirealafoisfinettimide”inperfectharmonywiththetone:—
“C’estadire,monsieurseratoujoursunpeuenteteexigeant,volontaire—?”
“HaveIbeenso,Frances?”
“Maisouivouslesavezbien.”
“HaveIbeennothingelse?”
“Maisouivousavezetemonmeilleurami.”
“Andwhat,Frances,areyoutome?”
“Votredevoueeeleve,quivousaimedetoutsoncoeur.”
“Willmypupilconsenttopassherlifewithme?SpeakEnglish