He put his arms about Eve and David, and drew them close, and held them tightly to him as he added, “Wait and see what comes of it, and you shall know how much I love you. What is the good of our high thinking, David, if it does not enable us to disregard the petty ceremonial in which the law entangles our affections? Shall I not be with you in spirit, in spite of the distance between us? Shall we not be united in thought? Have I not a destiny to fulfil? Will publishers come here to seek my Archer of Charles IX. and the Marguerites? A little sooner or a little later I shall be obliged in any case to do as I am doing to-day, should I not? And shall I ever find a better opportunity than this? Does not my success entirely depend upon my entrance on life in Paris through the Marquise d’Espard’s salon?”
“He is right,” said Eve; “you yourself were saying, were you not, that he ought to go to Paris at once?”
David took Eve’s hand in his, and drew her into the narrow little room where she had slept for seven years.
“Love, you were saying just now that he would want two thousand francs?” he said in her ear. “Postel is only lending one thousand.”
Eve gave her betrothed a look, and he read all her anguish in her eyes.
“Listen, my adored Eve, we are making a bad start in life. Yes, my expenses have taken all my capital; I have just two thousand francs left, and half of it will be wanted to carry on the business. If we give your brother the thousand francs, it will mean that we are giving away our bread, that we shall live in anxiety. If I were alone, I know what I should do; but we are two. Decide for us.”
Eve, distracted, sprang to her lover’s arms, and kissed him tenderly, as she answered through her tears:
“Do as you would do if you were alone; I will work to earn the money.”
In spite of the most impassioned kiss ever given and taken by betrothed lovers, David left Eve overcome with trouble, and went out to Lucien.
“Do not worry yourself,” he said; “you shall have your two thousand francs.”