"Yes, yes, I understand," I said. "What then?"

"My mother had made me promise to keep this revelation a secret, because
it was necessary, so she said, that Count Kiusko should not suspect that
we loved each other. She said that he had expressly attributed my
refusal to become his wife to some hope which I doubtless entertained of
marrying you."

"Well, go on; tell me what has occurred since."

"You know the state of trouble you found me in that night. I could not
hold back my tears, and you commanded me to tell you all. At last you
reassured me with so much warmth of feeling, that after that I did not
believe anyone but you. Quite happy at the thought of sacrificing myself
to your will, and to your peace of mind, I left off thinking about my
alarms, and regretted them as an insult to our love; I repeated to my
mother all your kind promises, and thought that I had set her mind at
rest. Imagine my astonishment at hearing her, a few days afterwards,
return to the subject: she had seen the count again, who had declared
that your uncle would disinherit you if you did not carry out his
wishes."

"And did you believe all that?"

"No," she replied promptly, "for you had not told me so! But then my
mother, seeing that I would only believe you, changed her tactics: she
spoke about Count Kiusko, his wealth, and his love for me."