“Really?⁠ ⁠… And what did she tell you?”

“She told me that you had made her a proposal!”

And the good old lady began laughing wholeheartedly. Raoul sprang from his chair, flushing to the temples, suffering agonies.

“What’s this? Where are you going?⁠ ⁠… Sit down again at once, will you?⁠ ⁠… Do you think I will let you go like that?⁠ ⁠… If you’re angry with me for laughing, I beg your pardon.⁠ ⁠… After all, what has happened isn’t your fault.⁠ ⁠… Didn’t you know?⁠ ⁠… Did you think that Christine was free?⁠ ⁠…”

“Is Christine engaged to be married?” the wretched Raoul asked, in a choking voice.

“Why no! Why no!⁠ ⁠… You know as well as I do that Christine couldn’t marry, even if she wanted to!⁠ ⁠…”

“But I don’t know anything about it!⁠ ⁠… And why can’t Christine marry?”