Yet this is the season, and if you have this man's interests at heart, you will hear me to the end." Through all the imperiousness of his tone an odd note of respect--real or assumed--was sounding.
"If you suffer, mademoiselle, believe me that I suffer also, and if I make you suffer more by what I say, I beg that you will think how what you have said, how the very motive of your presence here, has made me suffer.

Do you know, mademoiselle, what it is to be torn by jealousy?
Can you imagine it?
If you can, you can imagine also something of the torture I endured when you confessed to me that you loved this Lesperon, when you interceded for his life.

Mademoiselle, I love you--with all my heart and soul I love you.

I have loved you, I think, since the first moment of our meeting at Lavedan, and to win you there is no risk that I would not take, no danger that I would not brave." "Monsieur, I implore you--" "Hear me out, mademoiselle!" he cried.

Then in quieter voice he proceeded: "At present you love this Monsieur de Lesperon--" "I shall always love him! Always, monsieur!" "Wait, wait, wait!" he exclaimed, annoyed by her interruption.