Part 43 (1/2)
He stepped back from her as he answered:
”When one is not very good to start with, and one has trouble, it makes one go to the bad; it is inevitable!”
”And you have trouble?”
”Yes.”
”Is it very bad?”
”Well, quite bad enough, thank you!”
”Poor Jean; things don't go as you want them to, then?”
”What do you mean? What are you talking about?”
”Why, about--oh, you know very well! I told you the other evening!”
”That again!” he said, getting more and more worked up; ”how foolish you are!”
”What, do you mean that you do not care for Madame de Nezel?”
exclaimed Bijou.
”Madame de Nezel is a charming woman,” he stammered out, in an embarra.s.sed way. ”She is an excellent friend whom I like very much, very much indeed, but not in the way you imagine.”
”Ah! so much the worse for you; she is a widow, and she is rich; she would just have suited you. Well, then, you like someone else?”
”Yes.”
”Someone you cannot marry?”
”Exactly.”
”Why? isn't she rich enough?”
”Oh, no, it is not that; if she had not a farthing it would be all the same to me; it is the other way round, I am not rich enough for her, and then--she would not have me.”
”You do not know; you ought to tell her that you love her.”
”Do you think so?”
”Why, of course--try that, at any rate.”
”Very well, then, Bijou, I love you with all my heart--but I know that there is no hope, and, unfortunate wretch that I am, I dare not even ask for any.”
”You love _me_!” she exclaimed, in deep distress, and then, stopping short, she repeated: ”_you_--Jean?”
”Yes, and what about you? you detest me, do you not?”