"Yes, mademoiselle, but——"
"And he of you?"
"He is very fond of me, I know," said Grete, simply.
"I don't wonder at it; but have you ever asked yourself why he is fond of you?"
"Why, mademoiselle? Because—because I am a girl and he is a man, and he wants to be married."
Annie Brunel laughed; it was the first smile her companion had seen on her face for some days.
"But suppose he did not want to be married—suppose he could not be married to you—would he be fond of you? Or suppose you knew, Grete, that he was to marry some one else, what would you do?"
"I should do nothing, mademoiselle; I should be miserable."
"You would not cease to love him?"
"If I could, yes; if not,——"