Page:Marquis de Sade - Adelaide of Brunswick.djvu/94

 "Ah, Milady," said the margrave throwing himself at the feet of Adelaide. "I beg of you to tell me the reasons for your refusal. Do you want my fortune? Please accept all I have. Do you want a crown? Mine awaits you."

"Nothing of all that has anything to do with it. Scepters are often a heavy burden. The fortune which accompanies them is always changeable."

"Could my hand please you? I offer it to you."

"I do not consider such bonds very happy and besides I already have some which would prevent me from taking others."

"But, Milady," said the margrave sitting beside Adelaide, "I must then lose all hope?"

"That is the wisest advice which I can give you."

"Permit me to consider it very cruel."

"But any suffering which you have, comes from you alone. Give up the cause and the suffering will cease."

"Great Heavens! How can I do that?"

"A man can do anything he wants when he forces himself to it."

"No, for passion dominates me. It is stronger than my will."

"It is because I feel the same thing, Sir, that your offers are so distasteful to me," and taking the hand of the margrave, she took him toward the door. "Sir, I ask you to give up these impossible pretentions and do not oblige me to stay away from the places where I might meet you or to forbid you the right to come into my house. Be satisfied to know, since you oblige me to tell you, that if you are unhappy, not being able to possess the person you love, that I am equally miserable. For I cannot possess the one I love nor love the one I possess. This resemblance, far from bringing us together, forever separates us. Let us permit each other to enjoy the pursuit of pleasure in this city."

As she finished speaking, they reached the antechamber. Although the margrave was still reluctant to go, Adelaide left him there and quickly reentered the house, and closed the door behind her. She gave her servants orders not to admit the margrave in the future. The margrave's haughty and fiery character was not likely to pardon such a reception from a