o hooks, and his black hair.
How do you expect to manage on seven thousand francs a year, with a
man who made two hundred thousand francs of debt in two years?
Besides--though this is a thing you don't know yet--all men are alike;
and without flattering myself too much, I may say that my Desire is the
equal of a king's son."

"You forget, madame, the danger your son is in at this moment; which
can, perhaps, be averted only by Monsieur de Portenduere's desire to
please me. If he knew that you had made me these unworthy proposals that
danger might not be escaped. Besides, let me tell you, madame, that I
shall be far happier in the moderate circumstances to which you allude
than I should be in the opulence with which you are trying to dazzle me.
For reasons hitherto unknown, but which will yet be made known, Monsieur
Minoret, by persecuting me in an odious manner, strengthened the
affection that exists between Monsieur de Portenduere and myself--which
I can now admit because his mother has blessed it. I will also tell you
that this affection, sanctioned and legitimate, is life itself to me. No
destiny, however brilliant, however lofty, could make me change. I love
without the possibility of changing. It would therefore be a crime if
I married a man to whom I could take nothing but a soul that is
Savinien's. But, madame, since you force me to be explicit, I must tell
you that even if I did not love Monsieur de Portenduere I could not
bring myself to bear the troubles and joys of life in the company of
your son. If Monsieur Savinien made debts, you have often paid those
of your son. Our characters have neither the similarities nor
the differences which enable two persons to live together without
bitterness. Perhaps I should not have towards him the forbearance a
wife owes to her husband; I should then be a trial to him. Pray cease to
think of an alliance of which I count myself quite unworthy, and which
I fell I can decline without pain to you; for with the great advantages
you name to me, you cannot fail to find some girl of better station,
more wealth, and more beauty than mine."

"Will you swear to me," said Zelie, "to prevent these young men from
taking that journey and fighting that duel?"

"It will be, I foresee, the greatest sacrifice that Monsieur de
Portenduere can make to me, but I shall tell him that my bridal crown
must have no blood upon it."

"Well, I thank you, cousin, and I can only hope you will be happy