Monsieurlevicomte，Iamapoorgirl，whosefortunedependsentirely，notonlyonmygodfather’sgood-will，butalsoonthedoubtfulsuccessofthemeasureshemaytaketoeludetheschemesofhisrelativesagainstme。ThoughIamthelegitimatedaughterofJosephMirouet，band-masterofthe45thregimentofinfantry，myfatherhimselfwasmygodfather’snaturalhalf-brother；andthereforetheserelativesmay，thoughwithoutreason，beingasuitagainstayounggirlwhowouldbedefenceless。Yousee，monsieur，thatthesmallnessofmyfortuneisnotmygreatestmisfortune。I
havemanythingstomakemehumble。Itisforyoursake，andnotformyown，thatIlaybeforeyouthesefacts，whichtolovinganddevotedheartsaresometimesoflittleweight。ButIbegyoutoconsider，monsieur，thatifIdidnotsubmitthemtoyou，Imightbesuspectedofleadingyourtendernesstooverlookobstacleswhichtheworld，andmoreespeciallyyourmother，regardasinsuperable。
Ishallbesixteeninfourmonths。PerhapsyouwilladmitthatwearebothtooyoungandtooinexperiencedtounderstandthemiseriesofalifeentereduponwithoutotherfortunethanthatI
havereceivedfromthekindnessofthelateMonsieurdeJordy。Mygodfatherdesires，moreover，nottomarrymeuntilIamtwenty。
Whoknowswhatfatemayhaveinstoreforyouinfouryears，thefinestyearsofyourlife？donotsacrificethemtoapoorgirl。