? You will see that my father will say that I am too young."

"Perhaps he is right."

"No; I am young, but not too young, and I am certain that I can be your
wife."

I was on burning coals, and I felt that it was impossible for me to
resist any longer the ardent fire which was consuming me.

"Oh, my best beloved!" I exclaimed, "do you feel certain of my love? Do
you think me capable of deceiving you? Are you sure that you will never
repent being my wife?"

"More than certain, darling; for you could not wish to make me unhappy."

"Well, then, let our marriage take place now. Let God alone receive our
mutual pledges; we cannot have a better witness, for He knows the purity
of our intentions. Let us mutually engage our faith, let us unite our
destinies and be happy. We will afterwards legalize our tender love with
your father's consent and with the ceremonies of the Church; in the mean
time be mine, entirely mine."

"Dispose of me, dearest. I promise to God, I promise to you that, from
this very moment and for ever, I will be your faithful wife; I will say
the same to my father, to the priest who will bless our union--in fact,
to everybody."

"I take the same oath towards you, darling, and I can assure you that we
are now truly married. Come to my arms! Oh, dearest, complete my
felicity!"

"Oh, dear! am I indeed so near happiness!"

After kissing her tenderly, I went down to tell the mistress of the house
not to disturb us, and not to bring up our dinner until we called for it.
During my short absence, my charming C---- C---- had thrown herself dressed
on the bed, but I told her that the god of love disapproved of
unnecessary veils, and in less than a minute I made of her a new Eve,
beautiful in her nakedness as if she had just come out of the hands of
the Supreme Artist. Her skin, as soft as satin, was dazzlingly white, and
seemed still more so beside her splendid black hair which I had spread
over her alabaster shoulders. Her slender figure, her prominent hips, her
beautifully-modelled bosom, her large eyes, from which flashed the
sparkle of amorous desire, everything about her was strikingly beautiful,
and presented to my hungry looks the perfection of the mother of love,
adorned by all the charms which modesty throws over the attractions of a
lovely woman.

Beside myself, I almost feared lest my felicity should not prove real, or
lest it should not be made perfect by complete enjoyment, when
mischievous l