“Yes; and in your truth--even after she heard it reported you had gone to the wars.” “God bless her--O, God bless her!” “Will you not go away again now, monsieur?” “Fanchette, are you not our friend--dear Fanchette?” “It is madness, I say. I can do nothing. I will not listen.” “Is she not happy since this morning? You will tell me that at least.” “You will ruin her.” “Ah! you do not know what we know. Ruin is in separation. Only to meet--to speak together once again!” “Why should I help you to what I feel is not only wrong but useless? Likely, if I were to be found out, _I_ should be given to the death you so despise.” “You need never be discovered. Tell me no more than where to come upon her. Then she can dismiss me or not as she wills. I swear I will go, if she bids me.” “And if she does not?” “It would be out of your hands. Only it is just that the decision at last should rest with her. I feel that now as I have never felt it before--mad fool that I am, always to be so governed by impulse. What right had I to judge for her, to repudiate my trust, to banish myself unbidden? She gave me her first beautiful troth, long before that other had made up his mind, and it was for her, not me, to cancel the bond if she would. And though I yielded to him, I took no oath, I made no promise; I said only I would seek a solution of the impossible in death. I was faithful to that--and Death refused the test. He fled me, while I sought him everywhere. And then I knew. There can be no solution of the impossible in Death the destroyer, but only in Love the creator. From Love I must seek the final decision. If it had been evident in her happiness, I say I would have gone again as I came. But now I will go no more until she bids me.” He ceased, on a note of deep emotion, but of inflexible resolve, and for a space they walked on together in silence. Then presently the girl spoke, in a cold restrained little voice, whose tone might have been meant to convey anything between acquiescence and defiance. “You do me honour, monsieur, thus finally to throw off the mask before me--to favour me for the first time with your full confidence. If I notice an inconsistency here and there, why it is only natural in a lover; and----” “What inconsistency, Fanchette?”