Above all, Victorine, do not allow your sorrow to paralyse your actions.

You will have to act then, not only for yourself, but for your child--for my daughter; and if you then give way to the violence of sorrow, who shall think and care for her ?" She laid her beautiful head upon his bosom, and wept, and promised, and prayed for him.

And when he had finished what he felt he had to say, what he wished to say once, and but once, before he left her, he became more cheerful, and seemed to have more spirit for his work than he had hitherto shewn.
"And so," he said, after a while, "poor Marie is in love." "Nay; I did not say she was in love-not in the deep depth of absolute love--but I think she is not indifferent to Henri: were she truly and earnestly in love, she would have told me so." "Not indifferent to him, and yet not in love.

Faith, Victorine, I know not the difference; but you women are such adepts in the science, that you have your degrees of comparison in it." "Marie, then, has not yet reached the first degree, for hers is not even downright positive love; but I am sure she is fond of Henri's society; and now, poor girl, she must give it up--and probably for ever." "As you said a while since, Victorine, how should she not like his society?
I can fancy no man more fit to be the cynosure of a woman's eye than Larochejaquelin.

He has that beauty which women love to look on: the bold bright eye, the open forehead, the frank, easy smile, and his face is only a faithful index to his heart; he is as frank as brave, and yet as tender-hearted as he looks to be; he is specially formed to love and to be loved." "Poor Marie! I grieve that you brought her from Durbelliere." "Not so, Victorine; this is the place for Marie now; indeed, dear girl, she knew that well herself.