RENE. What d'you want us to wait for? A change of opinion that'll probably never come. And our youth will go, we shall have spoilt our lives. You want to send me back to Paris all alone and unhappy, to spend long silent evenings thinking about you and suffering from not being with you, while you, here, will be suffering in the same way, in the same loneliness. And we love each other, and it absolutely depends only on ourselves whether we shall change our double unhappiness for a double joy. [_Changing his tone_] I can't stand it, Therese. I've loved you for two years, and all this last year I've toiled and slaved to win you. [_Low and ardently_] I want you. THERESE. Oh, hush, hush! RENE. I want you. You're the one woman I've loved in my life. My love for you _is_ my life. I can't give up my life. Listen: I have to be in Paris this evening; are you going to let me leave you broken-hearted? THERESE. Do you think that I'm not broken-hearted? RENE. I shan't suffer any the less because I know that you're suffering too. THERESE. It doesn't depend upon us. RENE. It depends entirely upon us. Look here, if people refuse to let us marry, our love for each other is strong enough to do without marriage. Therese, come with me! THERESE. Oh, Rene, Rene! What are you asking me to do? RENE. Have you faith in me? Look at me. Do you think I'm sincere? Do you think I'm an honest man? Do you think that, if people refuse to let us go through a ridiculous ceremony together, our union will be any the less durable? Is it the ceremony that makes it real? Therese, come with me. Come this evening; let's go together; let's love each other. Oh, if you loved me as much as I love you, you wouldn't hesitate for a second. THERESE. Oh, don't say that, I implore you! RENE. Then you don't trust me? THERESE. I won't do it. I won't do it. RENE. What prevents you? You're absolutely alone, you have no relations. You owe nothing to anybody. No one will suffer for your action. You've already given a year of your life to the foolish prejudices of society. You've shown them respect enough. First they prevented our marriage because you were poor; now they want to prevent it because you work. Thanks to you I have been able to assert myself and get free. My father and mother can keep their money. I don't want it. Come. THERESE [_in tears_] You're torturing me. Oh, my dear, you're making me most unhappy. I could never do that, never. Don't be angry with me. I love you. I swear that I love you. RENE. I love you, Therese. I swear that I love you. All my life is yours. [_He breaks down_] Don't make me so unhappy. The more unhappy, the more I love you. THERESE. I couldn't do it. _Monsieur Feliat comes in._