"No, Adolphe, it is not nonsense. Do not let them teach you so.
What does love mean, if it does not mean that? Oh, Adolphe, you do
love me, you do love me, you do love me?"

"Yes;--I love you," he said slowly;--as though he would not have said
it, if he could have helped it. And then his arm crept slowly round
her waist, as though in that also he could not help himself.

"And do not I love you?" said the passionate girl. "Oh, I do, so
dearly; with all my heart, with all my soul. Adolphe, I so love you,
that I cannot give you up. Have I not sworn to be yours; sworn,
sworn a thousand times? How can I marry that man! Oh Adolphe how
can you wish that I should marry him?" And she clung to him, and
looked at him, and besought him with her eyes.

"I shouldn't wish it;--only--" and then he paused. It was hard to
tell her that he was willing to sacrifice her to the old man because
he wanted money from his mother.

"Only what! But Adolphe, do not wish it at all! Have you not sworn
that I should be your wife? Look here, look at this;" and she
brought out from her bosom a little charm that he had given her in
return for that cross. "Did you not kiss that when you swore before
the figure of the Virgin that I should be your wife? And do you not
remember that I feared to swear too, because your mother was so
angry; and then you made me? After that, Adolphe! Oh, Adolphe!
Tell me that I may have some hope. I will wait; oh, I will wait so
patiently."