“Why not?”

“If only because he can be crying at a moment as this!”

“It is not you but your nerves that are crying!”

“You can’t separate me from my nerves! But listen, Mariana, look me in the face; can you tell me now that you do not regret—”

“What?”

“That you ran away with me.”

“No!”

“And would you go with me further? Anywhere?”

“Yes!”

“Really? Mariana ... really?”