“And again—all that means?”
“That if a petit hôtelier like me ventures to lay a proposition at the feet of a jeune fille de famille like yourself—the petit hôtelier wishes to assure her of the perfect honorabilité of his family. In short, Mademoiselle Corinne, I love you very sincerely. I can make no phrases, for when I say I love you, it comes from the innermost depths of my being. I am a simple man,” he continued very earnestly, and with an air of hope, as Corinna flashed out no repulse, but sat sphinx-like, looking away from him across the room, “a very simple man; but my heart is loyal. Such as I am, Mademoiselle Corinne—and you have had an opportunity of judging—I have the honour to ask you if you will be my wife.”
Corinne knew enough of France to realise that all this was amazing.
