"
"You cannot offend me, mademoiselle," replied the magistrate. "I have
already told you that I am devoted to your service."
"Then sir, help me to prove the truth of what I have said. I will tell
you everything."
M. Daburon was fully convinced that Claire was seeking to deceive him;
but her confidence astonished him. He wondered what fable she was about
to concoct.
"Sir," began Claire, "you know what obstacles have stood in the way of
my marriage with Albert. The Count de Commarin would not accept me for
a daughter-in-law, because I am poor, I possess nothing. It took Albert
five years to triumph over his father's objections. Twice the count
yielded; twice he recalled his consent, which he said had been extorted
from him. At last, about a month ago, he gave his consent of his own
accord. But these hesitations, delays, refusals, had deeply hurt my
grandmother. You know her sensitive nature; and, in this case, I must
confess she was right. Though the wedding day had been fixed, the
marchioness declared that we should not be compromised nor laughed at
again for any apparent haste to contract a marriage so advantageous,
that we had often before been accused of ambition.
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