"Listen to me, Cephyse," resumed Jacques, in a voice of mournful emotion;
"since I am here, I have thought only of one thing--what is to become of you?"
"Never mind me!"
"Not mind you?--art mad? What will you do? The furniture of our two rooms is not worth two hundred francs.We have squandered our money so foolishly, that we have not even paid our rent.We owe three quarters, and we must not therefore count upon the furniture.I leave you without a coin.At least I shall be fed in prison--but how will you manage to live?
"What is the use of grieving beforehand?"
"I ask you how you will live to-morrow?" cried Jacques.
"I will sell my costume, and some other clothes.I will send you half the money, and keep the rest.That will last some days."
"And afterwards?--afterwards?"
"Afterwards?--why, then--I don't know--how can I tell you! Afterwards--
I'll look about me."
"Hear me, Cephyse," resumed Jacques, with bitter agony."It is now that I first know how mach I love you.My heart is pressed as in a vise at the thought of leaving you and I shudder to thinly what is to become of you." Then--drawing his hand across his forehead, Jacques added: "You see we have been ruined by saying--"To-morrow will never come!"--for to-
morrow has come.When I am no longer with you, and you have spent the last penny of the money gained by the sale of your clothes--unfit for work as you have become--what will you do next? Must I tell you what you will do!--you will forget me and--" Then, as if he recoiled from his own thoughts, Jacques exclaimed, with a burst of rage and despair--"Great Heaven! if that were to happen, I should dash my brains out against the stones!"
Cephyse guessed the half-told meaning of Jacques, and throwing her arms around his neck, she said to him: "I take another lover?--never! I am like you, for I now first know how much I love you."
"But, my poor Cephyse--how will you live?"
"Well, I shall take courage.I will go back and dwell, with my sister, as in old times; we will work together, and so earn our bread.I'll never go out, except to visit you.In a few days your creditor will reflect, that, as you can't pay him ten thousand francs, he may as well set you free.By that time I shall have once more acquired the habit of working.You shall see, you shall see!--and you also will again acquire this habit.We shall live poor, but content.After all, we have had plenty of amusement for six month, while so many others have never known pleasure all their lives.And believe me, my dear Jacques, when I say to you--I shall profit by this lesson.If you love me, do not feel the least uneasiness; I tell you, that I would rather die a hundred times, than have another lover."