What would anything signify then?
Madame Bauche's spectacles remained unmoved; but not her heart.
Marie, she told the capitaine, should be equal to herself in the
establishment, when once she was entitled to be called Madame Campan,
and she should be to her quite as a daughter. She should have her
cup of coffee every evening, and dine at the big table, and wear a
silk gown at church, and the servants should all call her Madame; a
great career should be open to her, if she would only give up her
foolish girlish childish love for Adolphe. And all these great
promises were repeated to Marie by the capitaine.
But nevertheless there was but one thing in the world which in
Marie's eyes was of any value; and that one thing was the heart of
Adolphe Bauche. Without that she would be nothing; with that,--with
that assured, she could wait patiently till doomsday.
Letters were written to Adolphe during all these eventful doings; and
a letter came from him saying that he greatly valued Marie's love,
but that as it had been clearly proved to him that their marriage
would be neither for her advantage, nor for his, he was willing to
give it up. He consented to her marriage with the capitaine, and
expressed his gratitude to his mother for the pecuniary advantages
which she had held out to him.
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