Then there was never any point to any of it at all. Then it would have been just as effective to lay down and do nothing, or to be wicked and cruel, as to fight. It means that all this agony was in vain.

[ A crooked smile, and a flutter of eyelashes that are long enough to brush Bastien's cheek. ]

I suppose that's romantic, at least, no? That's why they invented romance, I think.

[ But also - ]

Thank you for not lying to me.