"Don't believe him, mummy, don't believe him," she repeated.
"Then tell me that you will never leave me again," implored the widow.
Christine was silent and Raoul resumed.
"That is what you must promise, Christine. It is the only thing
that can reassure your mother and me. We will undertake not to ask
you a single question about the past, if you promise us to remain
under our protection in future."
"That is an undertaking which I have not asked of you and a promise
which I refuse to make you!" said the young girl haughtily.
"I am mistress of my own actions, M. de Chagny: you have no right
to control them, and I will beg you to desist henceforth.
As to what I have done during the last fortnight, there is only one man
in the world who has the right to demand an account of me: my husband!
Well, I have no husband and I never mean to marry!"
She threw out her hands to emphasize her words and Raoul turned pale,
not only because of the words which he had heard, but because he
had caught sight of a plain gold ring on Christine's finger.
"You have no husband and yet you wear a wedding-ring."
He tried to seize her hand, but she swiftly drew it back.
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