Seal me that promise, sweet one!"

"No! no!--there!"

He pressed a delicious first kiss upon two velvet lips that in their
innocence scarcely shunned the sweet attack.

For all that, the bond was no sooner sealed after this fashion, than the
lady's cheek began to burn.

"Suppose we go in NOW?" said she, dryly.

"Ah, not yet."

"It is late, dear Edouard."

And with these words something returned to her mind with its full force:
something that Edouard had actually made her forget. She wanted to get
rid of him now.

"Edouard," said she, "can you get up early in the morning? If you can,
meet me here to-morrow before any of them are up; then we can talk
without interruption."

Edouard was delighted.

"Eight o'clock?"

"Sooner if you like. Mamma bade me come and read to her in her room
to-night. She will be waiting for me. Is it not tiresome?"

"Yes, it is."

"Well, we must not mind that, dear; in three weeks' time we are to have
too much of one another, you know, instead of too little."

"Too much! I shall never have enough of you. I shall hate the night
which will rob me of the sight of you for so many hours in the
twenty-four."

"If you can't see me, perhaps you may hear me; my tongue runs by night
as well as by day."

"Well, that is a comfort," said Edouard, gravely. "Yes, little quizzer,
I would rather hear you scold than an angel sing. Judge, then, what
music it is when you say you love me!"

"I love you, Edouard."

Edouard kissed her hand warmly, and then looked irresolutely at her
face.

"No, no!" said she, laughing and blushing. "How rude you are. Next time
we meet."

"That is a bargain. But I won't go till you say you love me again.

"Edouard, don't be silly. I am ashamed of saying the same thing so
often--I won't say it any more. What is the use? You know I love you.
There, I HAVE said it: how stupid!"

"Adieu, then, my wife that is to be."

"Adieu! dear Edouard."

"My hus--go on--my hus--"

"My huswife that shall be."

Then they walked very slowly towards the house, and once more Rose left
quizzing, and was all tenderness.

"Will you not come in, and bid them 'good-night'?"

"No, my own; I am in heaven. Common faces--common voices would bring me
down to earth. Let me be alone;--your sweet words ringing in my ear. I
will dilute you with nothing meaner than the stars. See how bright they
shine in heaven; but not so bright as you shine in my heart."

"Dear Edouard, you flatte