I remained motionless. I felt turned to stone. I don't know how long I stood so. Suddenly I turned to Mattia. He was looking at me with eyes full of tears. I signed to him and again we left the house. For a long time we walked about, side by side, holding each other's hands, saying nothing, going straight before us without knowing where we were going. "Where do you want to go, Remi?" he asked at last, anxiously. "I don't know. Somewhere so we can talk. I want to speak to you, Mattia. We can't talk in this crowd." We had by this time come to a much wider street at the end of which was a public garden. We hurried to this spot and sat down on a bench. "You know how much I love you, Mattia boy," I began, "and you know that it was through friendship for you that I asked you to come with me to see my people. You won't doubt my friendship, no matter what I ask of you?" "Don't be such a silly," he said, forcing a smile. "You want to laugh so that I won't break down," I replied. "If I can't cry when I'm with you, when can I cry? But.... Oh ... oh, Mattia, Mattia!" Throwing my arms around dear old Mattia's neck, I burst into tears. Never had I felt so miserable. When I had been alone in this great world, never had I felt so unhappy as I did at this moment. After my burst of sobs I forced myself to be calm. It was not because I wanted Mattia's pity that I had brought him to this garden, it was not for myself; it was for him. "Mattia," I said resolutely, "you must go back to France." "Leave you? Never!" "I knew beforehand what you would reply and I am pleased, oh, so pleased that you wish to be with me, but, Mattia, you _must_ go back to France at once!" "Why? Tell me that." "Because.... Tell me, Mattia. Don't be afraid. Did you sleep last night? Did you see?" "I did not sleep," he answered. "And you saw...?" "All." "And you understood?" "That those goods had not been paid for. Your father was angry with the men because they knocked at the stable door and not at the house door. They told him that the police were watching them." "You see very well, then, that you must go," I said. "If I must go, you must go also; it is no better for one than for the other." "If you had met Garofoli in Paris and he had forced you to go back to him, I am sure you would not have wanted me to stay with you. I am simply doing what you would do yourself." He did not reply. "You must go back to France," I insisted; "go to Lise and tell her that I cannot do for her father what I promised. I told her that the first thing I did would be to pay off his debts. You must tell her how it is, and go to Mother Barberin also. Simply say that my people are not rich as I had thought; there is no disgrace in not having money. _But don't tell them anything more._" "It is not because they are poor that you want me to go, so I shan't go," Mattia replied obstinately. "I know what it is, after what we saw last night; you are afraid for me." "Mattia, don't say that!"