He made an effort to defend them.
"First of all, you might certainly have spoken to me the moment you came in, after being away a whole year!"
"It was not a year," said Frederick, glad to be able to give some sort of rejoinder on this point in order to avoid the other questions.
"Be it so; the time appeared very long to me, that's all. But, during this horrid dinner, one would think you felt ashamed of me. Ah! I understand—I don't possess what is needed in order to please as they do."
"You are mistaken," said Frederick.
"Really! Swear to me that you don't love anyone!"
"You love nobody but me alone?"
"I assure you, I do not."
This assurance filled her with delight. She would have liked to lose her way in the streets, so that they might walk about together the whole night.