“I no longer weep,” said she, “I listen to you.”
Paulo placed two sealed letters in her hand.
“Swear to me,” said he, “to hold these letters sacred as your most precious possession.”
“I swear it!” said she.
“Swear to me to discover them to no human eye, to betray their possession to no human ear! Swear it to me by the memory of your mother, who now looks down from heaven upon you and receives your oath!”
“Then she is dead?” said the young maiden, sadly drooping her head upon her breast.
“You have not yet sworn!” said he.
The young maiden raised her head, and, turning her eyes toward heaven as if in the hope of encountering the tender maternal glance, she solemnly said: “By the sacred memory of my mother I swear to discover these papers to no human eye, to betray their existence to no human ear, but to hold them sacred as my most precious and mysterious treasure!”
“Swear, further,” said Count Paulo, “that whenever a danger may threaten you, you will sooner forget all other things than these papers, that they should be the first which you will endeavor to save. Yes, swear to me that you will ever bear them upon your heart and never permit them to be separated from you!”
“I swear it!” said Natalie. “I will defend the possession of these papers, if necessary, with my life!”