nown that I loved you since the first day I saw
you?"

"Where is the woman who does not feel that she is loved?"

"Now let me get rid of your scruples as to my imaginary riches. I am
a poor man, dear. Yes, it pleased my father to ruin me; he made a
speculation of me, as a good many so-called benefactors do. If I make a
fortune, it will be entirely through you. That is not a lover's speech,
but sober, serious earnest. I ought to tell you about my faults, for
they are exceedingly bad ones in a man who has his way to make. My
character and habits and favorite occupations all unfit me for business
and money-getting, and yet we can only make money by some kind of
industry; if I have some faculty for the discovery of gold-mines, I am
singularly ill-adapted for getting the gold out of them. But you who,
for your brother's sake, went into the smallest details, with a talent
for thrift, and the patient watchfulness of the born man of business,
you will reap the harvest that I shall sow. The present state of things,
for I have been like one of the family for a long time, weighs so
heavily upon me, that I have spent days and nights in search of some way
of making a fortune. I know something of chemistry, and a knowledge of
commercial requirements has put me on the scent of a discovery that is
likely to pay. I can say nothing as yet about it; there will be a long
while to wait; perhaps for some years we may have a hard time of it; but
I shall find out how to make a commercial article at last. Others are
busy making the same researches, and if I am first in the field,
we shall have a large fortune. I have said nothing to Lucien, his
enthusiastic nature would spoil everything; he would convert my hopes
into realities, and begin to live like a lord, and perhaps get into
debt. So keep my secret for me. Your sweet and dear companionship will
be consolation in itself during the long time of experiment, and the
desire to gain wealth for you and Lucien will give me persistence and
tenacity----"

"I had guessed this too," Eve said, interrupting him; "I knew that you
were one of those inventors, like my poor father, who must have a woman
to take care of them."

"Then you love me! Ah! say so without fear to me, who saw a symbol of my
love for you in your name. Eve was the one woman in the world; if it was
true in the outward world for Adam, it is true again in the inner world
of my heart for me. My God! do you love me?"

"Yes," said she