‘I do,’ said Paul.

’And so do I;—­and so I always shall.  But she is to be your wife.  She shall be my daughter.  She shall have my property,—­or her child shall be my heir.  My house shall be her house,—­if you and she will consent to make it so.  You will not be afraid of me.  You know me, I think, too well for that.  You may now count on any assistance you could have from me were I a father giving you a daughter in marriage.  I do this because I will make the happiness of her life the chief object of mine.  Now good night.  Don’t say anything about it at present.  By-and-by we shall be able to talk about...