"That's a present!" she said, blushing once more and vainly striving
to hide her embarrassment.
"Christine! As you have no husband, that ring can only have been
given by one who hopes to make you his wife! Why deceive us further?
Why torture me still more? That ring is a promise; and that promise
has been accepted!"
"That's what I said!" exclaimed the old lady.
"And what did she answer, madame?"
"What I chose," said Christine, driven to exasperation.
"Don't you think, monsieur, that this cross-examination has lasted
long enough? As far as I am concerned..."
Raoul was afraid to let her finish her speech. He interrupted her:
"I beg your pardon for speaking as I did, mademoiselle. You know
the good intentions that make me meddle, just now, in matters which,
you no doubt think, have nothing to do with me. But allow me to
tell you what I have seen--and I have seen more than you suspect,
Christine--or what I thought I saw, for, to tell you the truth,
I have sometimes been inclined to doubt the evidence of my eyes."
"Well, what did you see, sir, or think you saw?"
"I saw your ecstasy AT THE SOUND OF THE VOICE, Christine: the voice
that came from the wall or the next room to yours.
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