rezzy. I thing I muz be
go'n' to die torecklie." She looked up to the ceiling with large eyes,
and then again at the fan in her lap, which continued its spreading and
shutting. "An' daz de riz'n, 'Sieur Grandissime." She waited until it
was certain he was about to answer, and then interrupted him nervously:
"You know, 'Sieur Grandissime, id woon be righd! Id woon be de juztiz to
_you!_ An' you de bez man I evva know in my life, 'Sieur Grandissime!"
Her hands shook. "A man w'at nevva wan' to gid marri'd wid noboddie in
'is life, and now trine to gid marri'd juz only to rip-ose de soul of
'is oncl'--"

M. Grandissime uttered an exclamation of protest, and she ceased.

"I asked you," continued he, with low-toned emphasis, "for the single
and only reason that I want you for my wife."

"Yez," she quickly replied; "daz all. Daz wad I thing. An' I thing daz
de rad weh to say, 'Sieur Grandissime. Bick-ause, you know, you an' me
is too hole to talg aboud dad _lovin'_, you know. An' you godd dad grade
_rizpeg_ fo' me, an' me I godd dad 'ighez rispeg fo' you; bud--" she
clutched the fan and her face sank lower still--"bud--" she
swallowed--shook her head--"bud--" She bit her lip; she could not go on.

"Aurora," said her lover, bending forward and taking one of her hands.
"I _do_ love you with all my soul."

She made a poor attempt to withdraw her hand, abandoned the effort, and
looked up savagely through a pair of overflowing eyes, demanding:

"_Mais_, fo' w'y you di' n' wan' to sesso?"

M. Grandissime smiled argumentatively.

"I have said so a hundred times, in every way but in words."

She lifted her head proudly, and bowed like a queen.

"_Mais_, you see 'Sieur Grandissime, you bin meg one mizteg."

"Bud 'tis corrected in time," exclaimed he, with suppressed but eager
joyousness.

"'Sieur Grandissime," she said, with a tremendous solemnity, "I'm verrie
sawrie; _mais_--you spogue too lade."

"No, no!" he cried, "the correction comes in time. Say that, lady; say
that!"

His ardent gaze beat hers once more down; but she shook her head. He
ignored the motion.

"And you will correct your answer; ah! say that, too!" he insisted,
covering the captive hand with both his own, and leaning forward
from his seat.

"_Mais_, 'Sieur Grandissime, you know, dad is so verrie unegspeg'."

"Oh! unexpected!"

"_Mais_, I was thing all dad time id was Clotilde wad you--"

She turned her face away and buried her mouth in her ha