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"A sin!" she answered him with a bitter smile. "O you young

innocent! you lamb! If I, who am a woman, from very force of love

care not though I be discovered, and though I be put to shame-but

you! you a man? What matters it to one of you men, even though he

may confess that he has intrigues with a dozen sweethearts at a

time? Speak the truth, you wish to desert me."

She dissolved in tears.

"Telimena," answered Thaddeus, "what would the world say of a

man, who now, at my time of life, in good health, should settle

down in a village and pass his time making love-when so many

young men, so many married men are leaving their wives and

children and fleeing abroad, to the standards of their country?

Although I might wish to remain, does it depend on me? My father

in his will bade me enter the Polish army, and now my uncle has

repeated that command; to-morrow I depart; I have already made my

resolution, and with Heaven's aid, Telimena, I shall not change

it."