"Good heavens! Has any misfortune befallen M. Louis?" murmured the girl, clasping her hands imploringly.
"No, my child, no; but you must forget him."
"Forget him?"
"Yes; believe me, it would be much better for you to renounce all hope, so far as he is concerned."
"My God! What has happened to him?"
"There are some things that are much harder to bear than ignorance, and yet I was pitying you a little while ago because you could not read."
"But what did he say in the letter, monsieur?"
"Your marriage is no longer to be thought of."
"Did M. Louis say that?"
"Yes, at the same time appealing to your generosity of heart."