"I don't know if you'll agree to this one, however!"
"Of course I will! I promise you beforehand."
"Promise! Promise! Quickly!"
He laughed gaily, wild with joy at her sweet mood and at the fair prospect the future held for him.
"I promise I'll agree gladly to your condition, whatever it is."
"Then listen to it. You have promised you'll never give up Monsieur Le Mierre to the constables."
Perrin was silent for a long time; then he said, in a voice hoarse with emotion,
"It seems I am a very stupid chap, and it takes me a little while to see what a woman is driving at. But though you are too clever for me, Ellenor, and caught me in a fine trap, I can make out the reason, the only reason, why you will be my wife. It is to save Le Mierre from disgrace."
"Yes," she replied, "it is; and there is yet one more reason. I can't live to Les Casquets any longer. I'm too unhappy. Mother is always telling me what people say about me; no other tune do I hear all day long."
"Well, it's quite plain you don't care a double for me; but, still, I can take care of you, give you a home and thus stop the wagging of all the tongues in the parish. But, Ellenor, there is one thing I must speak about. I am willing to know you don't love me; willing to know you've given your heart to another man, and him a scoundrel. But, I couldn't stand it if you had meetings with him when you will be my wife, the daughter of my dear old mother. I'd kill you, I believe. God forgive me, if such a thing happened."