human
Well, he said,
gpt
I suppose the affair is settled, isn't it? She did not reply at first, and then, as he remained standing and looking at her intently with his piercing eyes, she said with difficulty:
human
No, master, I cannot.
gpt
You cannot, girl; you cannot? I should just like to know the reason why? She began to cry, and repeated:
human
I cannot. He looked at her and then exclaimed, angrily:
gpt
Then, I suppose you have a lover?
human
Perhaps that is it,
gpt
Ah! So you confess it, you slut! And pray, who is the fellow? Some penniless, half-starved rag-a-muffin, without a roof to his head, I suppose? Who is it, I say? And as she gave him no answer, he continued:
human
Ah! So you will not tell me. Then I will tell you; it is Jean Bauda?
gpt
No, not he, she exclaimed.
human
Then it is Pierre Martin?
gpt
Oh, no, master.
human
By George! It is Jacques, the man who was here last year. They used to say that you were always talking together, and that you thought about getting married.
gpt
No, it is not he, it is not he!
human
Is that really a fact? the cunning peasant, who partly guessed the truth, asked; and she replied, hastily:
gpt
I will swear it; I will swear it to you.... She tried to think of something by which to swear, as she did not venture to invoke sacred things, but he interrupted her:
human
At any rate, he used to follow you into every corner, and devoured you with his eyes at meal times. Did you ever give him your promise, eh?
gpt
No, never, never; I will solemnly swear to you, that if he were to come to-day and ask me to marry him, I would have nothing to do with him. She spoke with such an air of sincerity that the farmer hesitated, and then he continued, as if speaking to himself:
human
What, then? You have not had _a misfortune_, as they call it, or it would have been known, and as it has no consequences, no girl would refuse her master on that account. There must be something at the bottom of it, however.
gpt
You will not?
human
I cannot, master,
gpt
Don't be frightened, Rose; I have come to speak to you.