Милий друг
Marriage
"
Sheturnedawayherheadandcontinued:"Ifyouwish,wecanbemarriedthebeginningofMay."
"Iobeyyouinallthingsjoyfully."
"ThetenthofMay,whichfallsonSaturday,wouldpleaseme,foritismybirthday."
"Verywell,thetenthofMay."
"YourparentslivenearRouen,dotheynot?"
"Yes,nearRouen,atCanteleu."
"Iamveryanxioustoseethem!"
Hehesitated,perplexed:"But—theyare—"Thenheaddedmorefirmly:"Mydear,theyareplain,countrypeople,innkeepers,whostrainedeverynervetogivemeaneducation.Iamnotashamedofthem,buttheir—simplicity—theirrusticitymightannoyyou."
Shesmiledsweetly."No,Iwilllovethemverymuch.Wewillvisitthem;Iwishto.I,too,amthechildofhumbleparents—butIlostmine—Ihavenooneintheworld"—sheheldoutherhandtohim—"butyou."
Hewasaffected,conqueredashehadneverbeenbyanywoman.
"Ihavebeenthinkingofsomething,"saidshe,"butitisdifficulttoexplain."
Heasked:"Whatisit?"
"Itisthis:Iamlikeallwomen.Ihavemy—myweaknesses.Ishouldliketobearanoblename.Canyounotontheoccasionofourmarriagechangeyournamesomewhat?"Sheblushedasifshehadproposedsomethingindelicate.
Herepliedsimply:"Ihaveoftenthoughtofit,butitdoesnotseemeasytome.
