"I entirely agree with you," he pronounced,
"My daughter's a curious creature," went on Mme. Des Boys, "but your approbation will perhaps be enough to convince her. You have a great deal of influence over her."
"I?"
"She's very fond of you. It's obvious."
"I'm such an old friend," said M. Hervart courageously.
His cowardice made him blush.
"Why shouldn't I confess? Why not say, 'Yes, she does like me, and I like her, why not?' Isn't my desire evident? Can I go away, leave her, do without her?..." But to all these intimate questions M. Hervart did not dare to give a definite answer.
"What I should like is that the present moment should go on for ever...."
"They have hardly spoken to one another, and yet," Mme. Des Boys continued, "I seem to see between them the beginnings of ... what?... how shall I put it?..."
"The beginnings of an understanding," prompted M. Hervart with ironic charity. "Why not love? There's such a thing as love at first sight."