"Pierre?" she said.
"Yes," murmured Clotilde, pale with anxiety.
Julia's eyebrows became slightly contracted; she raised her head and remained for a few seconds with her eyes fixed upon the ceiling; then, with a slight shrug of her shoulders:
"Why not?" she said gravely. "I would as soon have him as any one else!"
Clotilde uttered a feeble cry, and grasping both her daughter's hands:
"You consent?" she said; "you really consent? And may I take your answer to him?"
"Yes, but you had better change the text of it," said Julia, laughing.
"Oh! my darling, darling dear!" exclaimed Clotilde, covering Julia's hands with kisses; "but repeat again that it is all true—that by to-morrow you will not have changed your mind."
"I will not change my mind," said Julia, firmly, in her grave and musical voice.
She meditated for a moment and then resumed: