"Oh! perish the thought! it has never once come into my mind."
"In that case, my dear fellow, as it would be rank madness for you to think of marrying before you have some position in the world, a fortune, or at the very least some employment which will take the place of a fortune, you must cease to think of the young lady, and you must never see her again."
"Not think of her! not see her! Ah! tell me rather to cease to live!"
"You see that I was right when I said that you wouldn't follow my advice. It was hardly worth while to ask me for it."
"It would be madness, you say, for me to think of marrying.—No, it would not be madness, if I had a fortune or at least a suitable position to offer that fascinating girl; for I should be so happy with her! But, as you have too well said, I have neither! That sixty thousand francs that my uncle left me, I have spent more than half of now, in amusing myself; and what I have left isn't enough to justify me in offering myself as a husband to any woman."
"That depends. Is your young woman rich?"
"No; at least, I think not. The two ladies are going into the country in order to live economically; and the charming Agathe, who is an orphan, has no friend or protector but this Madame Dalmont, who is a widow of very modest means."
"Forget this young woman, my friend; forget her at once; that is the best thing that you can possibly do."
"No, I cannot, I will not forget her!"
"Sapristi! then don't ask me for advice!"