_ You love me well,
then?"
"Do you wish gold--all my gold?"
"No; I have enough."
"Have you an enemy? I'll kill him."
"I have no enemy."
"Will you be my wife? I will espouse you."
"I am married."
"But what do you wish, then! what _do_ you wish?"
"Prove to me that your passion for me is blind, furious, that you will
sacrifice everything for me!"
"All! yes, all! But how?"
"I do not know; but there was a moment when the glance of your eye
bewildered me. If now you give me some proof of your love, I do not know of
what I should be capable! Hasten! I am capricious; to-morrow the impression
of this hour will perhaps be effaced."
"But what proof can I give you on the moment?" cried the wretch. "It is an
atrocious torment! What proof? speak! What proof?"
"You are only a fool!" answered Cecily, retreating from the wicket with an
appearance of extreme irritation. "I am mistaken! I thought you capable of
energetic devotion! Good-night. It is a pity--"
"Cecily! oh! do not go--return. But what must I do? tell me, at least. Oh!
my senses wander. What must I do? what do?"
"Guess!"
"But, in fine--speak! what do you wish?" cried the notary, quite beside
himself.
"Guess."
"Explain--command."
"Ah! if you love me as passionately as you say, you will find the means.
Good-night."
"Cecily!"
"I am going to shut this wicket--instead of opening the door--"
"Mercy! listen--remain--I have found it," cried Jacques Ferrand, after a
moment's pause, with an expression of joy impossible to describe.
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