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Pauline drew her hands away； laid them on Raphael's shoulders； and
drew him towards her。 They understood one anotherin that close
embrace； in the unalloyed and sacred fervor of that one kiss without
an afterthoughtthe first kiss by which two souls take possession of
each other。
〃Ah； I will not leave you any more；〃 said Pauline； falling back in her
chair。 〃I do not know how I come to be so bold！〃 she added； blushing。
〃Bold； my Pauline？ Do not fear it。 It is love； love true and deep and
everlasting like my own； is it not？〃
〃Speak！〃 she cried。 〃Go on speaking； so long your lips have been dumb
for me。〃
〃Then you have loved me all along？〃
〃Loved you？ MON DIEU！ How often I have wept here； setting your room
straight； and grieving for your poverty and my own。 I would have sold
myself to the evil one to spare you one vexation！ You are MY Raphael
to…day； really my own Raphael； with that handsome head of yours； and
your heart is mine too； yes； that above all； your heartO wealth
inexhaustible！ Well； where was I？〃 she went on after a pause。 〃Oh yes！
We have three； four； or five millions； I believe。 If I were poor； I
should perhaps desire to bear your name； to be acknowledged as your
wife； but as it is； I would give up the whole world for you； I would
be your servant still； now and always。 Why； Raphael； if I give you my
fortune； my heart； myself to…day； I do no more than I did that day
when I put a certain five…franc piece in the drawer there；〃 and she
pointed to the table。 〃Oh； how your exultation hurt me then！〃
〃Oh； why are you rich？〃 Raphael cried； 〃why is there no vanity in you？
I can do nothing for you。〃
He wrung his hands in despair and happiness and love。
〃When you are the Marquise de Valentin； I know that the title and the
fortune for thee； heavenly soul； will not be worth〃
〃One hair of your head；〃 she cried。
〃I have millions too。 But what is wealth to either of us now？ There is
my lifeah； that I can offer； take it。〃
〃Your love； Raphael； your love is all the world to me。 Are your
thoughts of me？ I am the happiest of the happy！〃
〃Can any one overhear us？〃 asked Raphael。
〃Nobody；〃 she replied； and a mischievous gesture escaped her。
〃Come； then！〃 cried Valentin； holding out his arms。
She sprang upon his knees and clasped her arms about his neck。
〃Kiss me！〃 she cried； 〃after all the pain you have given me； to blot
out the memory of the grief that your joys have caused me； and for the
sake of the nights that I spent in painting hand…screens〃
〃Those hand…screens of yours？〃
〃Now that we are rich； my darling； I can tell you all about it。 Poor
boy！ how easy it is to delude a clever man！ Could you have had white
waistcoats and clean shirts twice a week for three francs every month
to the laundress？ Why； you used to drink twice as much milk as your
money would have paid for。 I deceived you all roundover firing； oil；
and even money。 O Raphael mine； don't have me for your wife； I am far
too cunning！〃 she said laughing。
〃But how did you manage？〃
〃I used to work till two o'clock in the morning； I gave my mother half
the money made by my screens； and the other half went to you。〃
They looked at one another for a moment； both bewildered by love and
gladness。
〃Some day we shall have to pay for this happiness by some terrible
sorrow；〃 cried Raphael。
〃Perhaps you are married？〃 said Pauline。 〃Oh； I will not give you up
to any other woman。〃
〃I am free； my beloved。〃
〃Free！〃 she repeated。 〃Free； and mine！〃
She slipped down upon her knees； clasped her hands； and looked at
Raphael in an enthusiasm of devotion。
〃I am afraid I shall go mad。 How handsome you are！〃 she went on；
passing her fingers through her lover's fair hair。 〃How stupid your
Countess Foedora is！ How pleased I was yesterday with the homage they
all paid to me！ SHE has never been applauded。 Dear； when I felt your
arm against my back； I heard a vague voice within me that cried； 'He
is there！' and I turned round and saw you。 I fled； for I longed so to
throw my arms about you before them all。〃
〃How happy you areyou can speak！〃 Raphael exclaimed。 〃My heart is
overwhelmed； I would weep； but I cannot。 Do not draw your hand away。 I
could stay here looking at you like this for the rest of my life； I
think； happy and content。〃
〃O my love； say that once more！〃
〃Ah； what are words？〃 answered Valentin； letting a hot tear fall on
Pauline's hands。 〃Some time I will try to tell you of my love； just
now I can only feel it。〃
〃You；〃 she said； 〃with your lofty soul and your great genius； with
that heart of yours that I know so well； are you really mine； as I am
yours？〃
〃For ever and ever； my sweet creature；〃 said Raphael in an uncertain
voice。 〃You shall be my wife； my protecting angel。 My griefs have
always been dispelled by your presence； and my courage revived； that
angelic smile now on your lips has purified me； so to speak。 A new
life seems about to begin for me。 The cruel past and my wretched
follies are hardly more to me than evil dreams。 At your side I breathe
an atmosphere of happiness； and I am pure。 Be with me always；〃 he
added； pressing her solemnly to his beating heart。
〃Death may come when it will；〃 said Pauline in ecstasy； 〃I have
lived！〃
Happy he who shall divine their joy； for he must have experienced it。
〃I wish that no one might enter this dear garret again； my Raphael；〃
said Pauline； after two hours of silence。
〃We must have the door walled up； put bars across the window； and buy
the house；〃 the Marquis answered。
〃Yes； we will；〃 she said。 Then a moment later she added： 〃Our search
for your manuscripts has been a little lost sight of；〃 and they both
laughed like children。
〃Pshaw！ I don't care a jot for the whole circle of the sciences；〃
Raphael answered。
〃Ah； sir； and how about glory？〃
〃I glory in you alone。〃
〃You used to be very miserable as you made these little scratches and
scrawls；〃 she said； turning the papers over。
〃My Pauline〃
〃Oh yes； I am your Paulineand what then？〃
〃Where are you living now？〃
〃In the Rue Saint Lazare。 And you？〃
〃In the Rue de Varenne。〃
〃What a long way apart we shall be until〃 She stopped； and looked
at her lover with a mischievous and coquettish expression。
〃But at the most we need only be separated for a fortnight；〃 Raphael
answered。
〃Really！ we are to be married in a fortnight？〃 and she jumped for joy
like a child。
〃I am an unnatural daughter！〃 she went on。 〃I give no more thought to
my father or my mother； or to anything in the world。 Poor love； you
don't know that my father is very ill？ He returned from the Indies in
very bad health。 He nearly died at Havre； where we went to find him。
Good heavens！〃 she cried； looking at her watch； 〃it is three o'clock
already！ I ought to be back again when he wakes at four。 I am mistress
of the house at home； my mother does everything that I wish； and my
father worships me； but I will not abuse their kindness； that would be
wrong。 My poor father！ He would have me go to the Italiens yesterday。
You will come to see him to…morrow； will you not？〃
〃Will Madame la Marquise de Valentin honor me by taking my arm？〃
〃I am going to take the key of this room away with me；〃 she said。
〃Isn't our treasure…house a palace？〃
〃One more kiss； Pauline。〃
〃A thousand； MON DIEU！〃 she said； looking at Raphael。 〃Will it always
be like this？ I feel as if I were dreaming。〃
They went slowly down the stairs together； step for step； with arms
closely linked； trembling both of them beneath their load of joy。 Each
pressing close to the other's side； like a pair of doves； they reached
the Place de la Sorbonne； where Pauline's carriage was waiting。
〃I want to go home with you；〃 she said。 〃I want to see your own room
and your study； and to sit at the table where you work。 It will be
like old times；〃 she said； blushing。
She spoke to the servant。 〃Joseph； before returning home I am going to
the Rue de Varenne。 It is a quarter…past three now； and I must be back
by four o'clock。 George must hurry the horses。〃 And so in a few
moments the lovers came to Valentin's abode。
〃How glad I am to have seen all this for myself！〃 Pauline cried；
creasing the silken bed…curtains in Raphael's room between her
fingers。 〃As I go to sleep； I shall be here in thought。 I shall
imagine your dear head on the pillow there。 Raphael； tell me； did no
one advise you about the furniture of your hotel？〃
〃No one whatever。〃
〃Really？ It was not a woman who〃
〃Pauline！〃
〃Oh； I know I am fearfully jealous。 You have good taste。 I will have a
bed like yours to…morrow。〃
Quite beside himself with happiness； Raphael caught Pauline in his
arms。
〃Oh； my father！〃 she said； 〃my father〃
〃I will take you back to him；〃 cried Valentin； 〃for I want to be away
from you as little as possible。〃
〃How loving you are！ I did not venture to suggest it〃
〃Are you not my life？〃
It would be tedious to set down accurately the charming prattle of the
lovers； for tones and looks and gestures that cannot be rendered alone
gave it significance。 Valentin went back with Pauline to her own door；
and returned with as much happiness in his heart as mortal