That was perhaps the only woman I have ever loved - no - that I ever should have loved. Ah, well! who can tell? Circumstances rule one. And then - and then - all passes.

I was hard hit. I wanted to ask this little girl to marry me. If we had passed eight days together, I should have done so! How weak and incomprehensible a man …

We live always under the weight of the old and odious customs ... of our barbarous ancestors.

I did not love her, I did not even know her. And for all that, I was touched and conquered. I wanted to save her, to sacrifice myself for her, to commit a thou…