"Yes, father."
"And you still rejoice in being his wife?"
"I do, indeed. But, dearest father, why these questions?"
"Brévannes, in fact, is precisely what you thought him when you assured me that you would wed none other than he?"
"Assuredly he is," answered Bertha, more and more surprised at the close questioning pursued by her father, but which will sufficiently shew how scrupulously she had concealed her unhappiness from her father.
"You find him worthy of inspiring such a passion as that which you assured me would cause your death, unhappy child, if I still refused my assent to your union?"
"Indeed, father, Charles has not changed since then."
"Heaven be praised! then I confess, I am deceived."
"Deceived, dear father! and in what respect?"
"Can you guess wherefore this year I have awaited your return to Paris with so much more impatience than in previous years?"