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Rose bit her lip。 She could not help seeing then how much dear Edouard was in her way and Josephine's。 Their best friends are in the way of all who have secrets。 Presently the doctor went to his study。 Then Edouard let fall a mock soliloquy。 〃I wonder；〃 said he； dropping out his words one by one； 〃whether any one will ever love me well enough to give a drop of their blood for me。〃
〃If you were in sickness and sorrow； who knows？〃 said Rose； coloring up。
〃I would soon be in sickness and sorrow if I thought that。〃
〃Don't jest with such matters； monsieur。〃
〃I am serious。 I wish I was as ill as Madame Raynal is； to be loved as she is。〃
〃You must resemble her in some other things to be loved as she is。
〃You have often made me feel that of late； dear Rose。〃
This touched her。 But she fought down the kindly feeling。 〃I am glad of it；〃 said she； out of perverseness。 She added after a while； 〃Edouard； you are naturally jealous。〃
〃Not the least in the world； Rose； I assure you。 I have many faults； but jealous I am not。〃
〃Oh； yes； you are； and suspicious； too； there is something in your character that alarms me for our happiness。〃
〃Well； if you come to that； there are things in YOUR conduct I could wish explained。〃
〃There！ I said so。 You have not confidence in me。〃
〃Pray don't say that； dear Rose。 I have every confidence in you； only please don't ask me to divest myself of my senses and my reason。〃
〃I don't ask you to do that or anything else for me； good…by； for the present。〃
〃Where are you going now？ tic！ tic！ I never can get a word in peace with you。〃
〃I am not going to commit murder。 I'm only going up…stairs to my sister。〃
〃Poor Madame Raynal； she makes it very hard for me not to dislike her。〃
〃Dislike my Josephine？〃 and Rose bristled visibly。
〃She is an angel； but I should hate an angel if it came forever between you and me。〃
〃Excuse me； she was here long before you。 It is you that came between her and me。〃
〃I came because I was told I should be welcome；〃 said Edouard bitterly； and equivocating a little； he added； 〃and I dare say I shall go when I am told I am one too many。〃
〃Bad heart！ who says you are one too many in the house？ But you are too exigent； monsieur； you assume the husband； and you tease me。 It is selfish； can you not see I am anxious and worried？ you ought to be kind to me； and soothe me； that is what I look for from you； and； instead of that； I declare you are getting to be quite a worry。〃
〃I should not be if you loved me as I love you。 I give YOU no rival。 Shall I tell you the cause of all this？ you have secrets。〃
〃What secrets？〃
〃Is it me you ask？ am I trusted with them？ Secrets are a bond that not even love can overcome。 It is to talk secrets you run away from me to Madame Raynal。 Where did you lodge at Frejus； Mademoiselle the Reticent？〃
〃In a grotto； dry at low water； Monsieur the Inquisitive。〃
〃That is enough： since you will not tell me； I will find it out before I am a week older。〃
This alarmed Rose terribly； and drove her to extremities。 She decided to quarrel。
〃Sir；〃 said she； 〃I thank you for playing the tyrant a little prematurely； it has put me on my guard。 Let us part； you and I are not suited to each other； Edouard Riviere。〃
He took this more humbly than she expected。 〃Part！〃 said he； in consternation； 〃that is a terrible word to pass between you and me。 Forgive me！ I suppose I am jealous。〃
〃You are； you are actually jealous of my sister。 Well； I tell you plainly I love you； but I love my sister better。 I never could love any man as I do her； it is ridiculous to expect such a thing。〃
〃And do you think I could bear to play second fiddle to her all my life？〃
〃I don't ask you。 Go and play first trumpet to some other lady。〃
〃You speak your wishes so plainly now； I have nothing to do but to obey。〃
He kissed her hand and went away disconsolately。
Rose； instead of going to Josephine； her determination to do which had mainly caused the quarrel； sat sadly down； and leaned her head on her hand。 〃I am cruel。 I am ungrateful。 He has gone away broken…hearted。 And what shall I do without him？little fool！ I love him better than he loves me。 He will never forgive me。 I have wounded his vanity； and they are vainer than we are。 If we meet at dinner I will be so kind to him； he will forget it all。 No！ Edouard will not come to dinner。 He is not a spaniel that you can beat； and then whistle back again。 Something tells me I have lost him； and if I have； what shall I do？ I will write him a note。 I will ask him to forgive me。〃
She sat down at the table； and took a sheet of notepaper and began to write a few conciliatory words。 She was so occupied in making these kind enough； and not too kind； that a light step approached her unobserved。 She looked up and there was Edouard。 She whipped the paper off the table。
A look of suspicion and misery crossed Edouard's face。
Rose caught it； and said； 〃Well； am I to be affronted any more？〃
〃No； Rose。 I came back to beg you to forget what passed just now；〃 said he。
Rose's eye flashed； his return showed her her power。 She abused it directly。
〃How can I forget it if you come reminding me？〃
〃Dear Rose； now don't be so unkind； so cruelI have not come back to tease you； sweet one。 I come to know what I can do to please you； to make you love me again？〃 and he was about to kneel graciously on one knee。
〃I'll tell you。 Don't come near me for a month。〃
Edouard started up； white as ashes with mortification and wounded love。
〃This is how you treat me for humbling myself； when it is you that ought to ask forgiveness。〃
〃Why should I ask what I don't care about？〃
〃What DO you care about？except that sister of yours？ You have no heart。 And on this cold…blooded creature I have wasted a love an empress might have been proud of inspiring。 I pray Heaven some man may sport with your affections； you heartless creature； as you have played with mine； and make you suffer what I suffer now！〃
And with a burst of inarticulate grief and rage he flung out of the room。
Rose sank trembling on the sofa a little while： then with a mighty effort rose and went to comfort her sister。
Edouard came no more to Beaurepaire。
There is an old French proverb； and a wise one； 〃Rien n'est certain que l'imprevu；〃 it means you can make sure of nothing but this； that matters will not turn as you feel sure they will。 And； even for this reason； you； who are thinking of suicide because trade is declining； speculation failing； bankruptcy impending； or your life going to be blighted forever by unrequited loveDON'T DO IT。 Whether you are English； American； French； or German； listen to a man that knows what is what； and DON'T DO IT。 I tell you none of those horrors； when they really come； will affect you as you fancy they will。 The joys we expect are not a quarter so bright； nor the troubles half so dark as we think they will be。 Bankruptcy coming is one thing； come is quite another： and no heart or life was ever really blighted at twenty years of age。 The love…sick girls that are picked out of the canal alive； all； without exception； marry ano