ct. George and Susan remained behind. As soon as they were a few
paces off, he said to her in a low and restrained voice: "Susan, I adore
you. I love you to madness."

She murmured: "So do I you, Pretty-boy."

He went on: "If I do not have you for my wife, I shall leave Paris and
this country."

She replied: "Ask Papa for my hand. Perhaps he will consent."

He made a gesture of impatience. "No, I tell you for the twentieth time
that is useless. The door of your house would be closed to me. I should
be dismissed from the paper, and we should not be able even to see one
another. That is a pretty result, at which I am sure to arrive by a
formal demand for you. They have promised you to the Marquis de
Cazolles. They hope that you will end by saying 'yes,' and they are
waiting for that."

She asked: "What is to be done?"

He hesitated, glancing at her, sidelong fashion. "Do you love me enough
to run a risk?"

She answered resolutely: "Yes."

"A great risk?"

"Yes."

"The greatest of risks?"

"Yes."

"Have you the courage to set your father and mother at defiance?"

"Yes."

"Really now?"

"Yes."

"Very well, there is one way and only one. The thing must come from you
and not from me. You are a spoilt child; they let you say whatever you
like, and they will not be too much astonished at an act of daring the
more on your part. Listen, then. This evening, on reaching home, you
must go to your mamma first, your mamma alone, and tell her you want to
marry me. She will be greatly moved and very angry--"

Susan interrupted him with: "Oh, mamma will agree."

He went on quickly: "No, you do not know her. She will be more vexed and
angrier than your father. You will see how she will refuse. But you must
be firm, you must not give way, you must repeat that you want to marry
me, and no one else. Will you do this?"

"I will."

"On leaving your mother you must tell your father the same thing in a
very serious and decided manner."

"Yes, yes; and then?"

"And then it is that matters become serious. If you are determined, very
determined--very, very determined to be my wife, my dear, dear little
Susan--I will--run away with you."

She experienced a joyful shock, and almost clapped her hands. "Oh! how
delightful. You will run away with me. When will you run away with me?"

All the old poetry of nocturnal elopements, post-chaises, country inns;
all the charming adventures told in books, flashed through her min