Part 2 (2/2)
”What else?”
”There is your own”
She laughed ”I am a dutiful niece when it suits me”
”And will it suit you to be dutiful if your uncle accepts this monstrous proposal?”
”Monstrous!” She bridled ”And why monstrous, if you please?”
”For a score of reasons,” he answered irritably
”Give e”
”Hardly so much,” said she
”He is forty-five, at least”
”But he looks no more than thirty He is very handsome--so much you will admit; nor will you deny that he is very wealthy and very powerful; the greatest noblereat lady”
”God made you that, Aline”
”Come, that's better So the terrace, Andre-Louis pacing beside her
”I can be more than that to show reason why you should not let this beast befoul the beautiful thing that God has htened ”You are speaking of htened too; his pale face grew paler
”And is it so? It is settled, then? Your uncle is to agree? You are to be sold thus, lovelessly, into bondage to a s for you, Aline”
”Better than to be Marquise de La Tour d'Azyr?”
He? Is there no joy in life, no happiness, that wealth and pleasure and e titles are to be its only ai scarce earthly There is joy in your heart, intelligence in your ht, the vision that pierces husks and shams to claim the core of reality for its own Yet you will surrender all for a parcel of make-believe You will sell your soul and your body to be Marquise de La Tour d'Azyr”
”You are indelicate,” said she, and though she frowned her eyes laughed
”And you go headlong to conclusions My uncle will not consent to ht We understand each other, my uncle and I I am not to be bartered like a turnip”
He stood still to face her, his eyes glowing, a flush creeping into his pale cheeks
”You have been torturing ive you out of o too fast, Cousin Andre I have permitted my uncle to consent that M le Marquis shall entleman I am flattered by his preference when I consider his eminence It is an eminence that I may find it desirable to share M le Marquis does not look as if he were a dullard It should be interesting to be wooed by hi still to marry him, and I think, when all is considered, that I shall probably--very probably--decide to do so”
He looked at her, looked at the sweet, challenging loveliness of that childlike face so tightly frao out of his own countenance
”God help you, Aline!” he groaned