What kindness! I sank at her feet, and kissed her hand without being able to utter a word.
“Not so,” she said, “a son must not kneel before his mother.”
“Madame,” I exclaimed, “you give more than the most daring hopes could——”
“Not I,” she replied, “it is you, dear friend, who bring peace to our house. I am indeed a mother, but I have no command over my daughter’s heart. Clementine has known you longer than I. On your account she has refused many offers; her hopes were centred in you. To complete her happiness is my duty. Now I know you, I bless Clementine’s choice.”
“This is too great kindness,” I said; “it was indeed my resolution, some day, when my fortune should be adequate—but I am poor, Madame——”
“What has fortune to do with this affair?” answered the noble lady, “you have a respectable competency, and Clementine, beside having property of her own, is my heiress. The cares of life cannot trouble you; and should you ever, by any misfortune, lose all, you must retrench; you possess knowledge, activity, and honesty: with these you will always succeed.”
In vain I stated several obstacles; she was above considering them important.
“No, sir,” she said, “that you loved Clementine without regard to wealth I was well aware. And indeed the girl has sufficient worth of her own to be loved for herself only. Your delicacy, dear friend, is therefore not compromised; if you could aspire to her heart and conquer it, truly you need not blush at her bringing you a rich dowry. The heart which you possess is worth more than the paltry money to which you fear to aspire, as if it were too much. My daughter cannot be happier, if she marries with a man she does not love, though he has a million. She will only be rendered happy by the mind, nobleness, true love, and solicitude of her beloved.”
“And—” said Clementine, bounding in with her charming simplicity, taking my hand, and looking affectionately in the eyes of her kind mother.
“You have chosen well,” said Madame de Sonnes, embracing us both; “you always are more solicitous for your mother’s happiness than for your own.”