"Then you are going to speak to her?"
"Yes."
"May I come again a little later?"
"Oh, no! give me until to-morrow. I shall not speak to her, probably, before this evening; but that need not prevent your coming to dinner if you feel inclined to. It was for the—for the answer that I was putting you off until to-morrow."
"If she should refuse, I shall go away."
"Where?"
"Oh, how can I care where?—my life will be over. I shall go and finish my days in some out-of-the-way spot."
"You talked like that some twelve years ago; and here you are to-day—I cannot say younger than then." The marchioness stopped short, and then continued, with a smile: "Why should I not say it, though? You really do seem younger to me now than you did in those days; you are perfectly astonishing, my dear friend, anyone would think you were about forty-five."
"If only it were true what you say!"
"It is, I assure you! but you know that does not alter the fact that you are fifty-nine."