There, go away! Obey her. I shall ruin you. It is foolish of you to meet me
like this. Kiss me, and go away for ever. For ever - do you hear? - for ever!«
    »Not I.«
    »It is your only chance. Many a man's love has been a curse to him.«
    »You are desperate, full of fancies, and wilful; and you misunderstand. I
have an additional reason for seeing you to-night besides love of you. For
though, unlike you, I feel our affection may be eternal, I feel with you in
this, that our present mode of existence cannot last.«
    »Oh! 'tis your mother. Yes, that's it! I knew it.«
    »Never mind what it is. Believe this, I cannot let myself lose you. I must
have you always with me. This very evening I do not like to let you go. There is
only one cure for this anxiety, dearest - you must be my wife.«
    She started: then endeavoured to say calmly, »Cynics say that cures the
anxiety by curing the love.«
    »But you must answer me. Shall I claim you some day - I don't mean at once?«
    »I must think,« Eustacia murmured. »At present speak of Paris to me. Is
there any place like it on earth?«
    »It is very beautiful. But will you be mine?«
    »I will be nobody else's in the world - does that satisfy you?«
    »Yes, for the present.«
    »Now tell me of the Tuileries, and the Louvre,« she continued evasively.
    »I hate talking of Paris! Well, I remember one sunny room in the Louvre
which would make a fitting place for you to live in - the Galerie d'Apollon. Its
windows are mainly east; and in the early morning, when the sun is bright, the
whole apartment is in a perfect blaze of splendour. The rays bristle and dart
from the encrustations of gilding to the magnificent inlaid coffers, from the
coffers to the gold and silver plate, from the plate to the jewels and precious
stones, from these to the enamels, till there is a perfect network of light
which quite dazzles the eye. But now, about our marriage -«
    »And Versailles - the King's Gallery is some such gorgeous room, is it not?«
    »Yes. But what's the use of talking of gorgeous rooms
