Part 35 (1/2)
Quietly Aline repeated her stateeous! You cannot be perentleman of M le Marquis' quality! Why, it is little more than a week since you permitted him to be informed that you would become his wife!”
”I did so in a moment of rashness Since then M le Marquis' own conduct has convinced me of my error”
”But--reat honour that is being paid you? M le Marquis will make you the first lady in Brittany Yet, little fool that you are, and greater fool that Quintin is, you trifle with this extraordinary good fortune! Let er ”If you continue in this stupid humour M de La Tour d'Azyr may definitely withdraw his offer and depart in justifiedto convey to you, is what I most desire”
”Oh, you areto be guided bythat the man who aspires to beco such assiduous hoirl at the Feydau”
”Aline!”
”Is it not true? Or perhaps you do not find it strange that M de La Tour d'Azyr should so conduct himself at such a time?”
”Aline, you are so extraordinary a mixture At moments you shock me by the indecency of your expressions; at others you aht up like a little bourgeoise, I think Yes, that is it--a little bourgeoise Quintin was always so your opinion on the conduct of M de La Tour d'Azyr, madame Not on my own”
”But it is an indelicacy in you to observe such things You should be ignorant of the as to inform you But since you are infors that take place outside the orbit of a properly conducted demoiselle”
”Will they still be outside my orbit when I am married?”
”If you are wise You should ree of them It it deflowers your innocence I would not for the world that M de La Tour d'Azyr should know you so extraordinarily instructed Had you been properly reared in a convent this would never have happened to you”
”But you do not answer me, madame!” cried Aline in despair ”It is not my chastity that is in question; but that of M de La Tour d'Azyr”
”Chastity!” Madame's lips trembled with horror Horror overspread her face ”Wherever did you learn that dreadful, that so improper word?”
And then Ms She realized that here great calm and prudence were required ”My child, since you know so ht not to know, there can be no harentleman must have these little distractions”
”But why,me riddles of nature It is so because it is so Because men are like that”
”Becauseyou”
”You are incorrigibly stupid, Aline”
”You s as you do, madame I am not over-expectant as you appear to think; yet surely I have the right to expect that whilst M de La Tour d'Azyr is wooingat the same time a drab of the theatre I feel that in this there is a subtle association of myself with that unspeakable creature which soils and insultstakes the forinal They gain nothing when they fall from lips still warm from the contamination of that woman's kisses”
So utterly scandalized was madame that for a moment she remained speechless Then--
”Mon Dieu!” she exclaimed ”I should never have suspected you of so indelicate an iination”
”I cannot help it, ers I findof the last object that they touched I at once retire to wash h to convey e to him, I shall call for water and wash them in his presence”
”But what am I to tell hie?” Madahast