Part 40 (1/2)
”As I was saying, he a.s.sured himself with his gla.s.s that she was young, pretty, well built, and not faded. Oh! his gla.s.s is invaluable for that!”
”But the lover?”
”The lover doesn't live with her. He goes very often to see her; but he doesn't sit at the window, naturally; so that Grandmaison has only caught a glimpse of him, for she is careful to leave the window as soon as the young man arrives.”
”Well?”
”Well, everything is going as smoothly as possible. Grandmaison took the little one to a closed box at the Opera night before last, the lover being in the country.”
At that point, I could no longer control myself, and, entirely unconscious of what I was doing, I struck the table between my neighbor and myself such a violent blow that the cup of chocolate bounded up into his face as he leaned over the table to speak to me. The bulk of the liquid deluged Raymond's waistcoat and s.h.i.+rt frill. He jumped back, startled by the gesture that had escaped me. Ashamed of having allowed my trouble, my wrath, my frenzy, to appear, I tried to recover myself; I composed my features and apologized. Raymond, uncertain whether he could safely approach me, asked for a gla.s.s of water to clean his face.
”Pardon! a thousand pardons! my dear Raymond, I don't know what caught me then.--You were saying that, the day before yesterday----”
”You gave me a terrible fright. Are you subject to nervous spasms?”
”No, no! it was mere absent-mindedness.--You were saying----”
”The devil! you ought to look after that. Thanks to you, I have got to go home to change my waistcoat and s.h.i.+rt.”
”Oh! that's nothing.--So, the night before last he took the young woman to a closed box at the Opera, eh?”
”Yes, yes.--Is there any more on my face?”
”None at all; you look splendid. Go on.”
This compliment restored Raymond's good humor; he tucked his frill out of sight and resumed the conversation.
”Yes, they were there, in a box----”
”So, it's all over, is it?”
”Oh, no! not yet. The beauty hangs back, you understand, and Grandmaison isn't the man to push matters so fast--with his bad leg, he needs all the conveniences. Oh! if it had been one of us two, that would have been the end; we are sad rascals, you know!”
”But since then?”
”He saw the little one again yesterday morning, outside the walls. He promised to give her a magnificent cashmere shawl, genuine Turkish, to-night, if she'd take supper with him at his house; moreover, a complete apartment, a lady's-maid, a carriage at her service, and a hundred louis a month, to say nothing of presents, if she would agree to stay.”
”Well?”
”She has accepted.”
”She has accepted!”
I sprang to my feet so suddenly that Raymond recoiled and looked at me uneasily.
”Did it take you again, neighbor?”
”No, nothing's the matter. Let us go out and get a breath of air.”
And I took Raymond's arm and led him away. He followed me, making a wry face. Doubtless I pinched his arm without noticing it, for he begged me to let it alone; but I did not hear him.