It seemed to him that there
would be so much to be said that he must settle beforehand some order
of saying it. It was not as though he had merely to tell her of his
love. There had been talk of love between them before, on which
occasion he had been compelled to tell her that he could not accept
that which she offered to him. It would be impossible, he knew, not
to refer to that former conversation. And then he had to tell her
that he, now coming to her as a suitor and knowing her to be a very
rich woman, was himself all but penniless. He was sure, or almost
sure, that she was as well aware of this fact as he was himself; but,
nevertheless, it was necessary that he should tell her of it,--and if
possible so tell her as to force her to believe him when he assured
her that he asked her to be his wife, not because she was rich, but
because he loved her. It was impossible that all this should be said
as they sat side by side in the drawing-room with a crowd of people
almost within hearing, and Madame Goesler had just been called upon
to play, which she always did directly she was asked.
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