human
Louis, she said, very quietly,
gpt
It's _killing_ me!
human
But, Louis, I found the courage to say,
gpt
Proud of _what_?
human
Of--of being the descendant of a French king,
gpt
I've been proud as Lucifer all my life to be an _American_, he answered.
human
What are French kings to me? And I _am_ an American, too! Not a thing he's said can make me anything else. I don't care if my ancestor did come here from France. Every American's ancestors came from somewhere else, if you go back far enough. That doesn't alter things.
gpt
Yes, that is perfectly true. You are just as much an American as ever, I admitted, thinking of that side of it for the first time.
human
But if that's so, I can't see what you're so down-hearted about.
gpt
What do you think it means to me to give up all my plans and ambitions in life and go over to France and become a French nobleman by adoption; to devote myself to every interest but the one I'm wrapped up in and fitted for during all the rest of my days?
human
But, Louis, began the Imp,
gpt
You don't understand, answered Louis.
human
Can't you see that I'm under an absolute _obligation_ to meet his wishes? I'd be an ungrateful brute, if I did anything else. You must realize what his ancestor did for mine. I wouldn't be in existence to-day, if it hadn't been for what the original marquis did to help the--the dauphin to escape. Why, I'm also under a tremendous obligation to the Mettots for the same reason. And then, there's something else you don't know about that makes it even worse. I haven't a cent in this world, nor ever have had, that hasn't been supplied by Mon--by the marquis.
gpt
You had this farm, didn't you?