Vendetta by Honoré de Balzac
page 56 of 101 (55%)
page 56 of 101 (55%)
![]() | ![]() |
|
"Father," she said, in a tender voice, "no, you shall never be abandoned by your Ginevra. But love her a little for her own sake. If you know how he loves me! Ah! _He_ would never make me unhappy!" "Comparisons already!" cried Piombo, in a terrible voice. "No, I can never endure the idea of your marriage. If he loved you as you deserve to be loved he would kill me; if he did not love you, I should put a dagger through him." The hands of the old man trembled, his lips trembled, his body trembled, but his eyes flashed lightnings. Ginevra alone was able to endure his glance, for her eyes flamed also, and the daughter was worthy of the sire. "Oh! to love you! What man is worthy of such a life?" continued Piombo. "To love you as a father is paradise on earth; who is there worthy to be your husband?" "_He_," said Ginevra; "he of whom I am not worthy." "He?" repeated Piombo, mechanically; "who is _he_?" "He whom I love." "How can he know you enough to love you?" "Father," said Ginevra, with a gesture of impatience, "whether he loves me or not, if I love him--" |
|