"I am afraid we two have been very foolish.Don't you think we have now?It seems quite clear that we can never get ourselves married.
Don't you see it in that light?"
Marie's head turned round and round with her,but she was not of the fainting order.She took three steps backwards and leant against the wall of the cave.She also was trying to think how she might best fight her battle.Was there no chance for her?Could no eloquence,no love prevail?On her own beauty she counted but little;but might not prayers do something,and a reference to those old vows which had been so frequent,so eager,so solemnly pledged between them?
"Never get ourselves married!"she said,repeating his words.
"Never,Adolphe?Can we never be married?"
"Upon my word,my dear girl,I fear not.You see my mother is so dead against it.""But we could wait;could we not?"
"Ah,but that's just it,Marie.We cannot wait.We must decide now,--to-day.You see I can do nothing without money from her--and as for you,you see she won't even let you stay in the house unless you marry old Campan at once.He's a very good sort of fellow though,old as he is.And if you do marry him,why you see you'll stay here,and have it all your own way in everything.As for me,Ishall come and see you all from time to time,and shall be able to push my way as I ought to do.""Then,Adolphe,you wish me to marry the capitaine?""Upon my honour I think it is the best thing you can do;I do indeed.""Oh,Adolphe!"
"What can I do for you,you know?Suppose I was to go down to my mother and tell her that I had decided to keep you myself;what would come of it?Look at it in that light,Marie.""She could not turn you out--you her own son!""But she would turn you out;and deuced quick,too,I can assure you of that;I can,upon my honour.""I should not care that,"and she made a motion with her hand to show how indifferent she would be to such treatment as regarded herself.
"Not that--;if I still had the promise of your love.""But what would you do?"
"I would work.There are other houses beside that one,"and she pointed to the slate roof of the Bauche establishment.
"And for me--I should not have a penny in the world,"said the young man.
She came up to him and took his right hand between both of hers and pressed it warmly,oh,so warmly."You would have my love,"said she;"my deepest,warmest best heart's love should want nothing more,nothing on earth,if I could still have yours."And she leaned against his shoulder and looked with all her eyes into his face.
"But,Marie,that's nonsense,you know."
"No,Adolphe,it is not nonsense.Do not let them teach you so.
What does love mean,if it does not mean that?Oh,Adolphe,you do love me,you do love me,you do love me?""Yes;--I love you,"he said slowly;--as though he would not have said it,if he could have helped it.And then his arm crept slowly round her waist,as though in that also he could not help himself.
"And do not I love you?"said the passionate girl."Oh,I do,so dearly;with all my heart,with all my soul.Adolphe,I so love you,that I cannot give you up.Have I not sworn to be yours;sworn,sworn a thousand times?How can I marry that man!Oh Adolphe how can you wish that I should marry him?"And she clung to him,and looked at him,and besought him with her eyes.
"I shouldn't wish it;--only--"and then he paused.It was hard to tell her that he was willing to sacrifice her to the old man because he wanted money from his mother.
"Only what!But Adolphe,do not wish it at all!Have you not sworn that I should be your wife?Look here,look at this;"and she brought out from her bosom a little charm that he had given her in return for that cross."Did you not kiss that when you swore before the figure of the Virgin that I should be your wife?And do you not remember that I feared to swear too,because your mother was so angry;and then you made me?After that,Adolphe!Oh,Adolphe!
Tell me that I may have some hope.I will wait;oh,I will wait so patiently."He turned himself away from her and walked backwards and forwards uneasily through the grotto.He did love her;--love her as such men do love sweet,pretty girls.The warmth of her hand,the affection of her touch,the pure bright passion of her tear-laden eye had re-awakened what power of love there was within him.But what was he to do?Even if he were willing to give up the immediate golden hopes which his mother held out to him,how was he to begin,and then how carry out this work of self-devotion?Marie would be turned away,and he would be left a victim in the hands of his mother,and of that stiff,wooden-legged militaire;--a penniless victim,left to mope about the place without a grain of influence or a morsel of pleasure.
"But what can we do?"he exclaimed again,as he once more met Marie's searching eye.
"We can be true and honest,and we can wait,"she said,coming close up to him and taking hold of his arm."I do not fear it;and she is not my mother,Adolphe.You need not fear your own mother.""Fear!no,of course I don't fear.But I don't see how the very devil we can manage it.""Will you let me tell her that I will not marry the capitaine;that Iwill not give up your promises;and then I am ready to leave the house?""It would do no good."
"It would do every good,Adolphe,if I had your promised word once more;if I could hear from your own voice one more tone of love.Do you not remember this place?It was here that you forced me to say that I loved you.It is here also that you will tell me that I have been deceived.""It is not I that would deceive you,"he said."I wonder that you should be so hard upon me.God knows that I have trouble enough.""Well,if I am a trouble to you,be it so.Be it as you wish,"and she leaned back against the wall of the rock,and crossing her arms upon her breast looked away from him and fixed her eyes upon the sharp granite peaks of Canigou.