"A confession of what, dear Tina?" answered the young man affectionately, turning his head to his wife in order to see her over his shoulder.
But Tina, foreseeing the move, put in: "I beg you, do not look at me! If you do I would not dare to say a word!"
"It shall be as you desire, sweet girl;" and smiling, he added: "What can be that redoubtable secret that you fear to confess to my face? Speak, my dear Tina; reveal your secret to me."
"A sad secret—that I am ashamed of, very much ashamed. I pray to God you may pardon me for it. I have been very guilty."
Tina's voice was so moved as she spoke these words, that Nominoë was surprised, and involuntarily moved in his saddle in order to turn around to his wife. But once more she stopped him, saying:
"I entreat you, do not look at me," and she proceeded after a short pause: "I am your wife—you must not be ignorant of any of my thoughts, be they good or bad. No! nothing must remain hidden from my husband."
"A bad thought in your mind, you angelic creature! That is impossible. You surely exaggerate some trifle, my dear Tina."
"And yet it is so, Nominoë. I doubted you—I doubted your love."
"And why? And when was that?"
"This morning, seeing you delayed in arriving, I said to myself: 'Nominoë does not want me for his wife'—'Nominoë does not love me'—"