The girl sighed, but made no reply.
"Your suitor is a worthy young man, an honest, honourable fellow, a good liver, a diligent mechanic, and handsome to boot, and, which is the main thing, he has for a long time loved you truly, loyally, and ardently."
"I know. You mean Alexander," replied the girl.
Master Boltay stopped short, although there was nothing very extraordinary in the fact that the girl knew his secret. Both of them hung upon Fanny's next words.
"Poor Alexander!" sighed the girl.
"Why are you sorry?"
"Because he loves me. Why cannot he find a better, more reliable girl than I, to make him happy?"
"Then you don't want to marry him?" asked the old man, sadly.
"If it would give you any pleasure, I am ready to marry him."