"You say so. That is enough for me. My not thinking him worthy of you makes no difference to what you feel."
"Good. And if a man and a girl love each other, you agree that it is wrong for any one else to come in between them?"
"Yes, if they truly love."
"Well, we do; passionately. I want nobody to come in between me and him, and I want your sympathy. I ask for nothing but to be left in peace. For the present, till I think the right moment has come, you must help me to keep my secret from Mamma. She will make a lot of fuss at first, then reconcile herself quickly to the idea, and finally approve our betrothal. That is, if no one else interferes—"
"Who? Mademoiselle Gros is going, or is gone by now. Some relation, perhaps, that I haven't met?"
"No-o. There is nobody really. I only said if. If—Elise, you know—she won't exactly take to the idea at first." Suddenly she was nervous. The moment she spoke of her sister, optimism and boldness seemed to leave her.
"But you told me she was taking your side in the matter—"
"Yes, because she loves me: but for that very same reason she might—just at first—be a little jealous of my love for Emile. She guessed it, but I don't think she was ever quite certain we were lovers till today: that is why it was so nice of her to defend me as she did, and that is why she was so bitter. It is funny, I know, for a sister to be jealous of her sister's lover. At this very moment, for instance, she is probably locked in her bedroom, lying on the bed, crying her heart out—"
Crying her heart out.
"However, she will get over that. Poor Elise, my dear good sister!"