“Yes, my brother, Fate had now brought me within three miles of thee; and—but shall I go straight on, and tell thee all, Pierre? all? every thing? art thou of such divineness, that I may speak straight on, in all my thoughts, heedless whither they may flow, or what things they may float to me?”
“Straight on, and fearlessly,” said Pierre.
“By chance I saw thy mother, Pierre, and under such circumstances that I knew her to be thy mother; and—but shall I go on?”
“Straight on, my Isabel; thou didst see my mother—well?”
“And when I saw her, though I spake not to her, nor she to me, yet straightway my heart knew that she would love me not.”
“Thy heart spake true,” muttered Pierre to himself; “go on.”
“I re-swore an oath never to reveal myself to thy mother.”
“Oath well sworn,” again he muttered; “go on.”
“But I saw thee, Pierre; and, more than ever filled my mother toward thy father, Pierre, then upheaved in me. Straightway I knew that if ever I should come to be made known to thee, then thy own generous love would open itself to me.”
“Again thy heart spake true,” he murmured; “go on—and didst thou re-swear again?”