Page:Kéraban the Inflexible Part 1 (Jules Verne).djvu/77

Rh "A letter!" exclaimed the attendant. "A letter! We don't want that; we want Seigneur Kéraban himself; and, to tell the truth, this uncle keeps us waiting a good deal."

"Patience, Nedjeb. A little patience," said Amasia.

"Yes,you speak very calmly and take it easily. But if you were in my place, my dear young mistress, you would scarcely be so patient."

"Silly girl!" replied Amasia. "It is not a question of your marriage, but mine."

"And do you not think it is a very important thing to pass from the service of a young lady to that of a rich married dame?"

"I shall not love you any the better," said Amasia.

"Nor could I love you any better, dear lady; but, truly, to see you so happy as the wife of Seigneur Ahmet would react on me, and make me very happy too."

"Dear Ahmet!" murmured Amasia, as she veiled her eyes a moment, while she invoked the remembrance of her fiancé.

"Ah! there you are, obliged to shut your eyes to see him," cried Nedjeb maliciously, "while if he were here you would open them."

"I tell you that he has gone to meet the messenger from the bank, who will no doubt have a letter from his uncle."

"Yes; a letter from Seigneur Kéraban, in which he will repeat as usual that business detains him in Constantinople; that he cannot as yet leave home; that tobacco is rising; that unless it falls he will arrive in eight days, without fail—unless indeed it happens to be sixteen days. And time presses. We have only six weeks. If you are not married then, you must give up your fortune, and—"

"It is not for my fortune that Ahmet is going to marry me, Nedjeb."

"Quite so; but there is no need to lose it by delay. Oh! if Seigneur Kéraban were my uncle!"

"What would you do if he were?"

"I would do nothing, dear mistress, as no one can do anything. Nevertheless, if he were here—if he arrived