Lebel did not reply to his sweetheart, but M. de Chavigni wrote me a letter of four pages.  He spoke like a philosopher and an experienced man of the world.

He shewed me that if I were an old man like him, and able to insure a happy and independent existence to my sweetheart after my death, I should do well to keep her from all men, especially as there was so perfect a sympathy between us; but that as I was a young man, and did not intend to bind myself to her by the ties of marriage, I should not only consent to a union which seemed for her happiness, but that as a man of honour it was my duty to use my influence with her in favour of the match.  “With your experience,” said the kind old gentleman, “you ought to know that a time would come when you would regret both having lost this opportunity, for your love is sure to become friendship, and then another love will replace that which you now think as firm as the god Terminus.

“Lebel,” he added, “has told me his plans, and far from disapproving, I have encouraged him, for your charming friend won my entire esteem in the five or six times I had the pleasure of seeing her with you.  I shall be delighted, therefore, to have her in my house, where I can enjoy her conversation without transgressing the laws of propriety.  Nevertheless, you will understand that at my age I have formed no desires, for I could not satisfy them even if their object were propitious.”  He ended by telling me that Lebel had not fallen in love in a young man’s style, that he had reflected on what he was doing, and that he would consequently not hurry her, as she would see in the letter he was going to send her.  A marriage ought always to be undertaken in cold blood.

I gave the letter to my housekeeper, who read it attentively, and gave it back to me quite coolly.

“What do you think of his advice, dearest?”

“I think I had better follow it:  he says there is no hurry, and delay is all we want.  Let us love each other and think only of that.  This letter is written with great wisdom, but I cannot imagine our becoming indifferent to each other, though I know such a thing is possible.”

“Never indifferent; you make a mistake there.”

“Well, friends, then; and that is not much better after being lovers.”

“But friendship, dearest, is never indifferent.  Love, it is true, may be in its composition.  We know it, as it has been thus from the beginning of the world.”

“Then the ambassador was right.  Repentance might come and torment us when love had been replaced by calmer friendship.”

“If you think so, let us marry each other to-morrow, and punish thereby the vices of our human nature.”

“Yes, we will marry, but there is no hurry; fearing lest hymen should quicken the departure of love, let us enjoy our happiness while we can.”

“You speak admirably, my angel, and deserve the greatest good fortune.”