"For heaven's sake, calm yourself," she said, withdrawing her hand. "You
are still in danger; your wound may reopen; be careful of yourself--were
it only for my sake."
After these words she went away, leaving me at the height of happiness.
I felt that life was given back to me.
"She will be mine! She loves me!"
This thought filled all my being.
From this moment I hourly got better. It was the barber of the regiment
who dressed my wound, for there was no other doctor in all the fort,
and, thank God, he did not attempt any doctoring. Youth and nature
hastened my recovery. All the Commandant's family took the greatest
care of me. Marya Ivanofna scarcely ever left me. It is unnecessary to
say that I seized the first favourable opportunity to resume my
interrupted proposal, and this time Marya heard me more patiently. She
naively avowed to me her love, and added that her parents would, in all
probability, rejoice in her happiness.
"But think well about it," she used to say to me. "Will there be no
objections on the part of your family?"
These words made me reflect. I had no doubt of my mother's tenderness;
but knowing the character and way of thinking of my father, I foresaw
that my love would not touch him very much, and that he would call it
youthful folly.
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