“Please tell Armelline that I am only coming after hearing all that you have said to me.”
The princess skipped for joy when she heard of my interview with the superioress, and the cardinal said he had guessed as much. The princess gave me the key of her box, and ordered that her carriage and servants should be at my orders.
The next day when I went to the convent Emilie came down by herself to reproach me on my cruel conduct. She told me that a man who really loved would not have acted in such a manner, and that I had been wrong to tell the superioress everything.
“I would not have said anything if I had had anything important to say.”
“Armelline has become unhappy through knowing you.”
“Because she does not want to fail in her duty, and she sees that you only love her to turn her from it.”
“But her unhappiness will cease when I cease troubling her.”
“Do you mean you are not going to see her any more?”
“Exactly. Do you think that it costs me no pain? But I must make the effort for the sake of my peace of mind.”
“Then she will be sure that you do not love her.”