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she's a kind woman all the same； she is no more proud to…day than she
was yesterday。〃
Raphael hurried up the staircase to his garret； as he reached the last
few steps he heard the sounds of a piano。 Pauline was there； simply
dressed in a cotton gown； but the way that it was made； like the
gloves； hat； and shawl that she had thrown carelessly upon the bed；
revealed a change of fortune。
〃Ah； there you are！〃 cried Pauline； turning her head； and rising with
unconcealed delight。
Raphael went to sit beside her； flushed； confused； and happy； he
looked at her in silence。
〃Why did you leave us then？〃 she asked； dropping her eyes as the flush
deepened on his face。 〃What became of you？〃
〃Ah； I have been very miserable； Pauline； I am very miserable still。〃
〃Alas！〃 she said； filled with pitying tenderness。 〃I guessed your fate
yesterday when I saw you so well dressed； and apparently so wealthy；
but in reality？ Eh； M。 Raphael； is it as it always used to be with
you？〃
Valentin could not restrain the tears that sprang to his eyes。
〃Pauline；〃 he exclaimed； 〃I〃
He went no further； love sparkled in his eyes； and his emotion
overflowed his face。
〃Oh； he loves me！ he loves me！〃 cried Pauline。
Raphael felt himself unable to say one word； he bent his head。 The
young girl took his hand at this； she pressed it as she said； half
sobbing and half laughing：
〃Rich； rich； happy and rich！ Your Pauline is rich。 But I？ Oh； I ought
to be very poor to…day。 I have said； times without number； that I
would give all the wealth upon this earth for those words； 'He loves
me！' O my Raphael！ I have millions。 You like luxury； you will be glad；
but you must love me and my heart besides； for there is so much love
for you in my heart。 You don't know？ My father has come back。 I am a
wealthy heiress。 Both he and my mother leave me completely free to
decide my own fate。 I am freedo you understand？〃
Seized with a kind of frenzy； Raphael grasped Pauline's hands and
kissed them eagerly and vehemently； with an almost convulsive caress。
Pauline drew her hands away； laid them on Raphael's shoulders； and
drew him towards her。 They understood one anotherin that close
embrace； in the unalloyed and sacred fervor of that one kiss without
an afterthoughtthe first kiss by which two souls take possession of
each other。
〃Ah； I will not leave you any more；〃 said Pauline； falling back in her
chair。 〃I do not know how I come to be so bold！〃 she added； blushing。
〃Bold； my Pauline？ Do not fear it。 It is love； love true and deep and
everlasting like my own； is it not？〃
〃Speak！〃 she cried。 〃Go on speaking； so long your lips have been dumb
for me。〃
〃Then you have loved me all along？〃
〃Loved you？ MON DIEU！ How often I have wept here； setting your room
straight； and grieving for your poverty and my own。 I would have sold
myself to the evil one to spare you one vexation！ You are MY Raphael
to…day； really my own Raphael； with that handsome head of yours； and
your heart is mine too； yes； that above all； your heartO wealth
inexhaustible！ Well； where was I？〃 she went on after a pause。 〃Oh yes！
We have three； four； or five millions； I believe。 If I were poor； I
should perhaps desire to bear your name； to be acknowledged as your
wife； but as it is； I would give up the whole world for you； I would
be your servant still； now and always。 Why； Raphael； if I give you my
fortune； my heart； myself to…day； I do no more than I did that day
when I put a certain five…franc piece in the drawer there；〃 and she
pointed to the table。 〃Oh； how your exultation hurt me then！〃
〃Oh； why are you rich？〃 Raphael cried； 〃why is there no vanity in you？
I can do nothing for you。〃
He wrung his hands in despair and happiness and love。
〃When you are the Marquise de Valentin； I know that the title and the
fortune for thee； heavenly soul； will not be worth〃
〃One hair of your head；〃 she cried。
〃I have millions too。 But what is wealth to either of us now？ There is
my lifeah； that I can offer； take it。〃
〃Your love； Raphael； your love is all the world to me。 Are your
thoughts of me？ I am the happiest of the happy！〃
〃Can any one overhear us？〃 asked Raphael。
〃Nobody；〃 she replied； and a mischievous gesture escaped her。
〃Come； then！〃 cried Valentin； holding out his arms。
She sprang upon his knees and clasped her arms about his neck。
〃Kiss me！〃 she cried； 〃after all the pain you have given me； to blot
out the memory of the grief that your joys have caused me； and for the
sake of the nights that I spent in painting hand…screens〃
〃Those hand…screens of yours？〃
〃Now that we are rich； my darling； I can tell you all about it。 Poor
boy！ how easy it is to delude a clever man！ Could you have had white
waistcoats and clean shirts twice a week for three francs every month
to the laundress？ Why； you used to drink twice as much milk as your
money would have paid for。 I deceived you all roundover firing； oil；
and even money。 O Raphael mine； don't have me for your wife； I am far
too cunning！〃 she said laughing。
〃But how did you manage？〃
〃I used to work till two o'clock in the morning； I gave my mother half
the money made by my screens； and the other half went to you。〃
They looked at one another for a moment； both bewildered by love and
gladness。
〃Some day we shall have to pay for this happiness by some terrible
sorrow；〃 cried Raphael。
〃Perhaps you are married？〃 said Pauline。 〃Oh； I will not give you up
to any other woman。〃
〃I am free； my beloved。〃
〃Free！〃 she repeated。 〃Free； and mine！〃
She slipped down upon her knees； clasped her hands； and looked at
Raphael in an enthusiasm of devotion。
〃I am afraid I shall go mad。 How handsome you are！〃 she went on；
passing her fingers through her lover's fair hair。 〃How stupid your
Countess Foedora is！ How pleased I was yesterday with the homage they
all paid to me！ SHE has never been applauded。 Dear； when I felt your
arm against my back； I heard a vague voice within me that cried； 'He
is there！' and I turned round and saw you。 I fled； for I longed so to
throw my arms about you before them all。〃
〃How happy you areyou can speak！〃 Raphael exclaimed。 〃My heart is
overwhelmed； I would weep； but I cannot。 Do not draw your hand away。 I
could stay here looking at you like this for the rest of my life； I
think； happy and content。〃
〃O my love； say that once more！〃
〃Ah； what are words？〃 answered Valentin； letting a hot tear fall on
Pauline's hands。 〃Some time I will try to tell you of my love； just
now I can only feel it。〃
〃You；〃 she said； 〃with your lofty soul and your great genius； with
that heart of yours that I know so well； are you really mine； as I am
yours？〃
〃For ever and ever； my sweet creature；〃 said Raphael in an uncertain
voice。 〃You shall be my wife； my protecting angel。 My griefs have
always be