But Marguerite interrupted her: 

“Hush, hush!  Let me speak ... do not stop me.  It is dreadful ... let me tell all ... to the very end, without flinching.  Listen.  Thou rememberest ... thou rememberest ...  Henry....”

Suzanne trembled and looked at her sister.  The younger continued: 

“Thou must hear all, to understand.  I was twelve years old, only twelve years old; thou rememberest well, is it not so?  And I was spoiled, I did everything that I liked!  Thou rememberest, surely, how they spoiled me?  Listen.  The first time that he came he had varnished boots.  He got down from his horse at the great steps, and he begged pardon for his costume, but he came to bring some news to papa.  Thou rememberest, is it not so?  Don’t speak—­listen.  When I saw him I was completely carried away, I found him so very beautiful; and I remained standing in a corner of the salon all the time that he was talking.  Children are strange ... and terrible.  Oh yes ...  I have dreamed of all that.

“He came back again ... several times ...  I looked at him with all my eyes, with all my soul ...  I was large of my age ... and very much more knowing than anyone thought.  He came back often ...  I thought only of him.  I said, very low: 

“‘Henry ...  Henry de Lampierre!’

“Then they said that he was going to marry thee.  It was a sorrow; oh, Big Sister, a sorrow ... a sorrow!  I cried for three nights without sleeping.  He came back every day, in the afternoon, after his lunch ... thou rememberest, is it not so?  Say nothing ... listen.  Thou madest him cakes which he liked ... with meal, with butter and milk.  Oh, I know well how.  I could make them yet if it were needed.  He ate them at one mouthful, and ... and then he drank a glass of wine, and then he said, ‘It is delicious.’  Thou rememberest how he would say that?

“I was jealous, jealous!  The moment of thy marriage approached.  There were only two weeks more.  I became crazy.  I said to myself:  ’He shall not marry Suzanne, no, I will not have it!  It is I whom he will marry when I am grown up.  I shall never find anyone whom I love so much.’  But one night, ten days before the contract, thou tookest a walk with him in front of the chateau by moonlight ... and there ... under the fir, under the great fir ... he kissed thee ... kissed ... holding thee in his two arms ... so long.  Thou rememberest, is it not so?  It was probably the first time ... yes ...  Thou wast so pale when thou earnest back to the salon.

“I had seen you two; I was there, in the shrubbery.  I was angry!  If I could I should have killed you both!

“I said to myself:  ’He shall not marry Suzanne, never!  He shall marry no one.  I should be too unhappy.’  And all of a sudden I began to hate him dreadfully.

“Then, dost thou know what I did?  Listen.  I had seen the gardener making little balls to kill strange dogs.  He pounded up a bottle with a stone and put the powdered glass in a little ball of meat.