"Do you promise not to marry so useless a thing as man, and to remain true to the government ?" he continued.
"If I wished to marry a man, I should not let the government stand in my way," she said, in brave confusion.
"But do you wish to marry any man ?" he asked abruptly, even petulantly.
"I have not asked myself that question, Monsieur, and--should you ask it, unless--" she said, and paused with as pretty and whimsical a glance of merriment as could well be.
He burst out laughing at the swift turn she had given her reply, and at the double suggestion.

Then he suddenly changed.

A curious expression filled his eyes.

A smile, almost beautiful, came to his lips.
"'Pon my honour," he said, in a low tone, "you have me caught! And I beg to say--I beg to say," he added, with a flush mounting in his own face, a sudden inspiration in his look, "that if you do not think me too old and crabbed and ugly, and can endure me, I shall be profoundly happy if you will marry me, Rosalie." He stood upright, holding himself very hard, for this idea had shot into his mind all in an instant, though, unknown to himself, it had been growing for years, cherished by many a kind act to her father and by a simple gratitude on her part.

He had spoken without feeling the absurdity of the proposal.