Милий друг
Death and a Proposal
Imustbefree,entirelyunfettered,inallmyactions--mycomingandmygoing;Icantolerateneithercontrol,jealousy,norcriticismastomyconduct.Ipledgemyword,however,nevertocompromisethenameofthemanImarry,nortorenderhimridiculousintheeyesoftheworld.Butthatmanmustpromisetolookuponmeasanequal,anally,andnotasaninferior,orasanobedient,submissivewife.Myideas,Iknow,arenotlikethoseofotherpeople,butIshallneverchangethem.Donotanswerme,itwouldbeuseless.Weshallmeetagainandtalkitalloverlater.Nowtakeawalk;Ishallreturntohim.Good-byeuntilto-night."
Hekissedherhandandleftherwithouthavingutteredaword.Thatnighttheymetatdinner;directlyafterthemealtheysoughttheirrooms,wornoutwithfatigue.
CharlesForestierwasburiedthenextdayinthecemeteryatCanneswithoutanypomp,andGeorgesreturnedtoParisbytheexpresswhichleftatone-thirty.Mme.Forestieraccompaniedhimtothestation.Theywalkedupanddowntheplatformawaitingthehourofdepartureandconversingonindifferentsubjects.
Thetrainarrived,thejournalisttookhisseat;aportercried:"Marseilles,Lyons,Paris!Allaboard!"Thelocomotivewhistledandthetrainmovedslowlyoutofthestation.
Theyoungmanleanedoutofthecarriage,andlookedattheyouthfulwidowstandingontheplatformgazingafterhim
