XI

Du Roy had Madame Walter on his right hand, and during dinner only spoke to her on serious topics, and with an exaggerated respect. From time to time he glanced at Clotilde. “She is really prettier and fresher looking than ever,” he thought. Then his eyes returned to his wife, whom he found not bad-looking either, although he retained towards her a hidden, tenacious, and evil anger.

But Madame Walter excited him by the difficulty of victory and by that novelty always desired by man. She wanted to return home early. “I will escort you,” said he.

She refused, but he persisted, saying: “Why will not you permit me? You will wound me keenly. Do not let me think that you have not forgiven me. You see how quiet I am.”

She answered: “But you cannot abandon your guests like that.”

He smiled. “But I shall only be away twenty minutes. They will not even notice it. If you refuse you will cut me to the heart.”

She murmured: “Well, then I agree.”

But as soon as they were in the carriage he seized her hand, and, kissing it passionately, exclaimed: “I love you, I love you. Let me tell you that much. I will not touch you. I only want to repeat to you that I love you.”

She stammered: “Oh! after what you promised me! This is wrong, very wrong.”

He appeared to make a great effort, and then resumed in a restrained tone: “There, you see how I master myself. And yet⁠—But let me only tell you that I love you, and repeat it to you every day; yes, let me come to your house and kneel down for five minutes at your feet to utter those three words while gazing on your beloved face.”