"You are very indiscreet."
"Yes, very."
"It embarrasses me to tell you...."
"Tell me in my ear. No one will overhear."
She smiled:
"I would like ..." (she hesitated).
"I would like just a little bit of happiness...."
(They were quite close the one to the other.)
She went on:
"Is that too much to ask?... They have often told me that I'm an egotist; and as for me, I sometimes say to myself: What has one a right to? When one sees so many wretchednesses, so much pain about one, you hardly dare to ask.... But in spite of all my heart does insist and cries out: Yes, I have the right, I have the right to a very little portion of happiness.... Tell me very frankly, is that being an egotist? Do you think that wrong?"