Well, I would give my life to save Adam. What is a woman's
independence in Paris? the freedom to let herself be taken in by
ruined or dissipated men who pretend to love her. I pray to God to
leave me this husband who is so kind, so obliging, so little fault-
finding, and who is beginning to stand in awe of me."
"You are honest, and I love you the better for it," said Thaddeus,
taking her hand which she yielded to him, and kissing it. "In solemn
moments like these there is unspeakable satisfaction in finding a
woman without hypocrisy. It is possible to converse with you. Let us
look to the future. Suppose that God does not grant your prayer,--and
no one cries to him more than I do, 'Leave me my friend!' Yes, these
fifty nights have not weakened me; if thirty more days and nights are
needed I can give them while you sleep,--yes, I will tear him from
death if, as the doctors say, nursing can save him. But suppose that
in spite of you and me, the count dies,--well, then, if you were
loved, oh, adored, by a man of a heart and soul that are worthy of
you--"
"I may have wished for such love, foolishly, but I have never met with
it."
"Perhaps you are mistaken--"
Clementine looked fixedly at Thaddeus, imagining that there was less
of love than of cupidity in his thoughts; her eyes measured him from
head to foot and poured contempt upon him; then she crushed him with
the words, "Poor Malaga!" uttered in tones which a great lady alone
can find to give expression to her disdain.
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