"Darling you have returned,--nothing matters any more," but I controlled
myself. She must finally surrender first!
Then she sprang to her feet and stood back to look at me. I rose too and
there towered above her.
"Oh, I am so glad, so glad," she said tremulously. "How wonderful,--how
miraculous!--It is for this great day!"
"I thought that you had left me altogether." I was a little breathless,
"I was so very sad."
Now she looked down.
"Nicholas," (how I loved to hear her pronounce my name) "Nicholas, I
have heard from my mother of your great generosity. You had helped us
without ever telling me, and then paid again to stop my mother's
anxiety, and again to stop mine. Oh! I am ashamed,--humbled, that I have
been as I have been to you, forgive me, forgive me, I ask you to from my
heart."
"I have nothing to forgive child. Come let us sit down and talk
everything over," and I sank into the sofa and she came beside me.
She would not look at me, however, but her little face was gentle and
shy. "I cannot understand though why you did all that. I cannot
understand anything about it all.--You do not love me.--You only wanted
me for your secretary, and yet you paid over a hundred thousand francs!
The generosity is great."