Part 30 (1/2)
”You were at the Feydau last night? And I never saw you!”
”Were you there, too?”
”Was I there!” he cried Then he checked, and abruptly changed his tone
”Oh, yes, I was there,” he said, as commonplace as he could, beset by a sudden reluctance to avow that he had so willingly descended to depths that she uise of face and voice should have proved impenetrable even to one who knew him so very well
”I understand,” said she, and cohtly
”But what do you understand?”
”The rare attractions of Mlle Binet Naturally you would be at the theatre Your tone conveyed it very clearly Do you know that you disappoint me, Andre? It is stupid of e of your sex I a men of fashi+on find an irresistible attraction for creatures who parade thee But I did not expect you to ape the ways of a ine you to be different; rather above such trivial pursuits I conceived you so of an idealist”
”Sheer flattery”
”So I perceive But you misled me You talked so much morality of a kind, you made philosophy so readily, that I came to be deceived In fact, your hypocrisy was so consu I wonder that you haven't joined Mlle Binet's troupe”
”I have,” said he
It had really beco choice of the lesser of the two evils hich she confronted him
He saw first incredulity, then consternation, and lastly disgust overspread her face
”Of course,” said she, after a long pause, ”that would have the advantage of bringing you closer to your charmer”
”That was only one of the induce allows, I had the incredible weakness to prefer the former It was utterly unworthy of a man of ists, I find it easier to preach than to practise Shall I stop the carriage and re person? Or shall I tell you how it happened?”
”Tell me how it happened first Then ill decide”
He told her how he met the Binet Troupe, and how the men of the marechaussee forced upon him the discovery that in its bosom he could lie safely lost until the hue and cry had died down The explanation dissolved her iciness
”My poor Andre, why didn't you tell ive me time; for another, I feared to shock you with the spectacle of radation”
She took him seriously ”But where was the need of it? And why did you not send us word as I required you of your whereabouts?”
”I was thinking of it only yesterday I have hesitated for several reasons”
”You thought it would offend us to knohat you were doing?”
”I think that I preferred to surprise you by the nitude of reat actor?” She was frankly scornful
”That is not ireat author There is no reason why you should sniff The calling is an honourable one All the world is proud to know such men as Beaumarchais and Chenier”