Volume I Part 58 (1/2)
”What for? Do you mean to present me to them? But suppose I should fall in love with your damsel?”
”No, I shall not present you. I am not intimate enough with them yet to take the liberty to introduce anyone; but you will wait for me somewhere in the neighborhood, we will pa.s.s a few days there----”
”Ah! what a captivating plan! That is to say, you propose to keep me on a strict diet, while you utter heart-rending sighs!--No, thanks!”
”If you refuse, I will take Chamoureau. Poor Chamoureau! he will understand my torments, for he too is in love.”
”Really! There seems to be an epidemic of it just now.”
”But by the way--I haven't told you.--Gad! it's a most amusing thing!
You would never guess whom he's in love with.”
”His concierge?”
”No; but that magnificent conquest he made at the Opera ball, and refused to open his mouth about.”
”I remember his mysterious air, his reticence, his hints when we talked about his charmer.”
”Well, that charmer is Thelenie, the superb, the brilliant Sainte-Suzanne!”
”The deuce! your ex-mistress?”
”The same.”
”And you say that Chamoureau has made the conquest of that elegant creature, who adored you, who continued to run after you?”
”And who runs after me still, alas!”
”Then Chamoureau is an idiot. The woman probably wanted to talk with him because she knew that he knew you, and because she hoped to obtain from him information concerning your conduct. That is not hard to guess.”
”I believe that you are right, especially as she expressly forbade him to mention her name to us. He seems, however, to have little success in his amours; he is constantly groaning and complaining. The poor fellow is really in love with Thelenie, who treats him, he says, with extreme cruelty.”
”I am glad of it; that will teach him to stop lamenting Eleonore! The beautiful brunette is making a fool of him, there's no doubt about that; and you say she is still running after you?”
”Mon Dieu! yes; and I avoid her. See, here's a letter that was handed me just now when I left the house; it's from her, I know, I am familiar enough with her writing, but I haven't even broken the seal. What's the use? I'll just throw it into the fire.”
And Edmond was on the point of tossing into the flames a letter that he took from his pocket, when Freluchon caught his arm.
”What! you propose to destroy this missive without finding out what is inside?”
”My dear fellow, I know beforehand what is inside: reproaches, complaints, followed by entreaties and burning words! And all this to lead up to the statement that she expects me to call because she absolutely must speak to me.”
”She must have a very impa.s.sioned style, that woman. Will you let me read her letter?”
”You are at liberty to do so, if you care to.”
”It won't annoy you?”
”How foolish you are! Thelenie is not a married woman, so that one is obliged to respect her secrets; furthermore, she makes no mystery of her sentiments toward me.”