'But I did it for the best. I told him all, and
perhaps I did harm.'
But to hear her accuse herself thus, when she had made this long
and lonely journey to save me, when she had forced herself into
her enemy's presence, and had, as I was sure she had, abased
herself for me, was more than I could bear.
'Hush, Mademoiselle, hush!' I said, almost roughly. 'You hurt
me. You have made me happy; and yet I wish that you were not
here, where, I fear, you have few friends, but back at
Cocheforet. You have done more for me than I expected, and a
hundred times more than I deserved. But it must end here. I was
a ruined man before this happened, before I ever saw you. I am
no worse now, but I am still that; and I would not have your name
pinned to mine on Paris lips. Therefore, good-bye. God forbid I
should say more to you, or let you stay where foul tongues would
soon malign you.'
She looked at me in a kind of wonder; then, with a growing
smile,--
'It is too late,' she said gently.
'Too late?' I exclaimed. 'How, Mademoiselle?'
'Because--do you remember, M. de Berault, what you told me of
your love-story under the guide-post by Agen? That it could have
no happy ending? For the same reason I was not ashamed to tell
mine to the Cardinal.
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