He moved quickly towards
the bell, to summon aid; but Claire noticed the movement, and stopped
him.
"What would you do?" she asked.
"You seemed suffering so," he stammered, "that I----"
"It is nothing, sir," replied she. "I may seem weak; but I am not so. I
am strong, believe me, very strong. It is true that I suffer, as I never
believed that one could suffer. It is cruel for a young girl to have to
do violence to all her feelings. You ought to be satisfied, sir. I have
torn aside all veils; and you have read even the inmost recesses of
my heart. But I do not regret it; it was for his sake. That which I do
regret is my having lowered my self so far as to defend him; but he will
forgive me that one doubt. Your assurance took me unawares. A man
like him does not need defence; his innocence must be proved; and, God
helping me, I will prove it."
As Claire was half-rising to depart, M. Daburon detained her by a
gesture. In his blindness, he thought he would be doing wrong to leave
this poor young girl in the slightest way deceived. Having gone so far
as to begin, he persuaded himself that his duty bade him go on to the
end. He said to himself, in all good faith, that he would thus preserve
Claire from herself, and spare her in the future many bitter regrets.
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