“If you know my heart, then, can you not see that it is my heart I offer you?” “I have guessed rightly, then,” exclaimed Fouquet. “In truth, madame, I have never yet given you the right to insult me in this manner.” “Insult you,” she said, turning pale, “what singular delicacy of feeling! You tell me you love me; in the name of that affection you wish me to sacrifice my reputation and my honor, yet, when I offer you money which is my own, you refuse me.” “Madame, you are at liberty to preserve what you term your reputation and your honor. Permit me to preserve mine. Leave me to my ruin, leave me to sink beneath the weight of the hatreds which surround me, beneath the faults I have committed, beneath the load, even, of my remorse, but, for Heaven’s sake, madame, do not overwhelm me with this last infliction.” “A short time since, M. Fouquet, you were wanting in judgment; now you are wanting in feeling.” Fouquet pressed his clenched hand upon his breast, heaving with emotion, saying: “overwhelm me, madame, for I have nothing to reply.” “I offered you my friendship, M. Fouquet.” “Yes, madame, and you limited yourself to that.” “And what I am now doing is the act of a friend.” “No doubt it is.” “And you reject this mark of my friendship?” “I do reject it.” “Monsieur Fouquet, look at me,” said the marquise, with glistening eyes, “I now offer you my love.” “Oh, madame,” exclaimed Fouquet. “I have loved you for a long while past; women, like men, have a false delicacy at times. For a long time past I have loved you, but would not confess it. Well, then, you have implored this love on your knees, and I have refused you; I was blind, as you were a little while since; but as it was my love that you sought, it is my love I now offer you.” “Oh! madame, you overwhelm me beneath a load of happiness.” “Will you be happy, then, if I am yours--entirely?” “It will be the supremest happiness for me.” “Take me, then. If, however, for your sake I sacrifice a prejudice, do you, for mine, sacrifice a scruple.” “Do not tempt me.” “Do not refuse me.” “Think seriously of what you are proposing.” “Fouquet, but one word. Let it be ‘No,’ and I open this door,” and she pointed to the door which led into the streets, “and you will never see me again. Let that word be ‘Yes,’ and I am yours entirely.” “Elise! Elise! But this coffer?” “Contains my dowry.” “It is your ruin,” exclaimed Fouquet, turning over the gold and papers; “there must be a million here.” “Yes, my jewels, for which I care no longer if you do not love me, and for which, equally, I care no longer if you love me as I love you.” “This is too much,” exclaimed Fouquet. “I yield, I yield, even were it only to consecrate so much devotion. I accept the dowry.” “And take the woman with it,” said the marquise, throwing herself into his arms. Chapter XXIX. Le Terrain de Dieu.