human
Forgive me for loving you, mademoiselle, he faltered, in a trembling voice;
gpt
I know that it is very presumptuous of me; I am not worthy of you, for I am only a poor messenger; but my love is stronger than my reason, it will last all my life. This confession has escaped me in spite of myself. Pray don't be angry; I will never mention it again!
human
I am not angry. It isn't a crime to love a person. Mon Dieu! Monsieur Paul, even before you told me--I don't know why, but I had thought--I had guessed that you loved me, and--and--it made me happy. I don't forbid you to mention it to me--far from it!
gpt
Ah! mademoiselle, how good you are! and how happy I should be, if--if----
human
If you loved me, too.
gpt
I thought that you had guessed, too.
human
Ah! I am permitted to know the most perfect happiness! he cried;
gpt
I envy no man on earth. To be loved by you--I dare not believe it! The thought will increase my courage tenfold. I will work harder than ever, so that I can save money; and if I could offer you a comfortable existence; if I could save enough to have a little home of our own; if---- But, no, it is impossible; I can never hope for anything of the kind.
human
Well, well! why are you so sad, all of a sudden? I feel so happy! Do you think that I am ambitious, pray, and that I won't be content with whatever you can offer me? It is very bad of you to think that.
gpt
No, mademoiselle; it isn't money that I am thinking of. I am very sure that you are like me, and that you don't care about that. But it is--it is---- Oh! mademoiselle, I will tell you everything, for I do not want to deceive you; and no matter what it costs me to make the confession, you shall know what I am; then you will see that I am not worthy of your love.
human
Mon Dieu! what do you mean? You frighten me! Have you done anything wrong?
gpt
No, it's not that. But you said just now that our positions were the same, because we are both orphans. That is not true, mademoiselle; you have lost your parents, but you did know them; you know who they were, you remember your father's kisses. But I have no idea who my parents are. They may be living, but I do not know whether they are or not. They cast me out, spurned me from their arms. In a word, I am a wretched foundling.
human
A foundling?
gpt
Yes, mademoiselle; I was left at the door where all the poor children are left whose parents cannot or, in some cases, do not choose to bring them up. There was a paper on me, on which was written: _Paul de Saint-Cloud._ Saint-Cloud is probably where I was born. And on my forearm there was a little cross--which I still have, for it doesn't wear out;--was that mark placed there so that I might be found and identified some day? I hoped so for a long time. But now I have ceased to hope, for I am more than twenty-three years old, and I have never heard of my parents. During all the time I passed with Monsieur Desroches,--an excellent man, who took me from the charitable asylum when I was ten years old, and treated me like his own son,--he did all that he could to obtain some information which would help me to find my parents; but it all came to nothing; and when my benefactor saw me weeping with grief, because I could not embrace my father or mother, he would kiss me affectionately, and say: 'Don't grieve so, my boy; birth is a game of chance; those who come into the world with a name and rank and wealth all ready for them, often do not take the trouble to cultivate talents and estimable qualities, because they deem themselves sufficiently well equipped as they are; but he who begins his life without any of those advantages is compelled to behave well in order to obtain what he lacks. According to that, my boy, the advantage would seem to be with him who comes into the world without anything.' With such arguments, Monsieur Desroches comforted me and gave me courage. But I am a poor foundling none the less, with no name, no family, to offer you. That is what I felt bound to tell you, mademoiselle; for it is wrong to deceive anyone. That is what makes me think that I shall never be considered worthy to be your husband.