She thrilled with joy, and Jean felt her hand tremble.
"Yes," said Jean; and he tried to look into her eyes, which were still fixed on the distance.
"We shall overcome everything. We shall overcome the numerous obstacles arising from this terrible subject: that is all that is between us."
"Yes; it is the one and only question in this part of the world."
"It poisons everything!"
She stopped, and turned her radiant face full of love to him—of that beautiful and proud love which he had longed to know and to inspire.
"Say rather that it makes everything greater. Our quarrels here are not village quarrels—we are either for or against a country. We are obliged to have courage every day, to make enemies every day, every day to break with old friends who would willingly have remained faithful to us, but who are not faithful to Alsace. No action of our lives is indifferent; there is no action that is not an affirmation. I assure you, Jean, there is nobleness in that."
"That is true, Odile, my beloved."
They stopped to enjoy that delicious word to the full. Their souls were in their eyes, and they looked at each other tremblingly. In low tones, although there were no onlookers other than the pines swayed by the wind, they spoke of the future as of a battle already begun.
"Lucienne will be on my side," said Jean. "I shall entrust my secret to her when occasion occurs. She will help me, and I count on her."