I would have tried to make you happy; you would have had peace and comfort all your life; you could have trusted me--but there it is...." He felt all at once that he was unfair to her, that he had thrust upon her too hard a problem in too troubled an hour.
"I could trust you with my life, Monsieur Rossignol," she replied.

"And I love you in a way that a man may be loved to no one's harm or sorrow: it is true that!" She raised her eyes to his simply, trustingly.
He looked at her steadily for a moment.

"If you change your mind--" She shook her head sadly.
"Good, then," he went on, for he thought it wise not to press her now, though he had no intention of taking her no as final.

"I'll keep an eye on you.

You'll need me some day soon; I can do things that the Cure can't, perhaps." His manner changed still more.