M. Grandissime uttered an exclamation of protest, and she ceased.

“I asked you,” continued he, with low-toned emphasis, “for the single and only reason that I want you for my wife.”

“Yez,” she quickly replied; “daz all.  Daz wad I thing.  An’ I thing daz de rad weh to say, ‘Sieur Grandissime.  Bick-ause, you know, you an’ me is too hole to talg aboud dad lovin’, you know.  An’ you godd dad grade rizpeg fo’ me, an’ me I godd dad ‘ighez rispeg fo’ you; bud—­” she clutched the fan and her face sank lower still—­“bud—­” she swallowed—­shook her head—­“bud—­” She bit her lip; she could not go on.

“Aurora,” said her lover, bending forward and taking one of her hands.  “I do love you with all my soul.”

She made a poor attempt to withdraw her hand, abandoned the effort, and looked up savagely through a pair of overflowing eyes, demanding: 

“Mais, fo’ w’y you di’ n’ wan’ to sesso?”

M. Grandissime smiled argumentatively.

“I have said so a hundred times, in every way but in words.”

She lifted her head proudly, and bowed like a queen.

“Mais, you see ’Sieur Grandissime, you bin meg one mizteg.”

“Bud ’tis corrected in time,” exclaimed he, with suppressed but eager joyousness.

“’Sieur Grandissime,” she said, with a tremendous solemnity, “I’m verrie sawrie; mais—­you spogue too lade.”

“No, no!” he cried, “the correction comes in time.  Say that, lady; say that!”

His ardent gaze beat hers once more down; but she shook her head.  He ignored the motion.

“And you will correct your answer; ah! say that, too!” he insisted, covering the captive hand with both his own, and leaning forward from his seat.

“Mais, ’Sieur Grandissime, you know, dad is so verrie unegspeg’.”

“Oh! unexpected!”

“Mais, I was thing all dad time id was Clotilde wad you—­”

She turned her face away and buried her mouth in her handkerchief.

“Ah!” he cried, “mock me no more, Aurore Nancanou!”

He rose erect and held the hand firmly which she strove to draw away: 

“Say the word, sweet lady; say the word!”

She turned upon him suddenly, rose to her feet, was speechless an instant while her eyes flashed into his, and crying out: 

“No!” burst into tears, laughed through them, and let him clasp her to his bosom.