oes your abbe, who is always prating
of virtue, take me for a murderer or a thief? Come, Edmee, confess now;
you know well enough that I am an honest man; you do not really think
me wicked; but I am displeasing to you because I am not clever, and you
like M. de la Marche because he has a knack of making unmeaning speeches
which I should blush to utter."

"And if, to be pleasing to me," she said with a smile, after listening
most attentively, and without withdrawing her hand which I had taken
through the bars, "if, in order to be preferred to M. de la Marche, it
were necessary to acquire more wit, as you say, would you not try?"

"I don't know," I replied, after hesitating a moment; "perhaps I should
be fool enough; for the power you have over me is more than I can
understand; but it would be a sorry piece of cowardice and a great
folly."

"Why, Bernard?"

"Because a woman who could love a man, not for his honest heart, but for
his pretty wit, would be hardly worth the pains I should have to take;
at least so it seems to me."

She remained silent in her turn, and then said to me as she pressed my
hand:

"You have much more sense and wit than one might think. And since you
force me to be quite frank with you, I will own that, as you now are and
even should you never change, I have an esteem and an affection for
you which will last as long as my life. Rest assured of that, Bernard,
whatever I may say in a moment of anger. You know I have a quick
temper--that runs in the family. The blood of the Mauprats will never
flow as smoothly as other people's. Have a care for my pride, then, you
know so well what pride is, and do not ever presume upon rights you
have acquired. Affection cannot be commanded; it must be implored or
inspired. Act so that I may always love you; never tell me that I am
forced to love you."

"That is reasonable enough," I answered; "but why do you sometimes speak
to me as if I were forced to obey you? Why, for instance, this evening
did you _forbid_ me to drink and _order_ me to study?"

"Because if one cannot command affection which does not exist, one can
at least command affection which does exist; and it is because I am sure
yours exists that I commanded it."

"Good!" I cried, in a transport of joy; "I have a right then to order
yours also, since you have told me that it certainly exists. . . .
Edmee, I order you to kiss me."

"Let go, Bernard!" she cried; "you are breaking my arm. Look, y