Volume VI Part 37 (1/2)
Madauests were taking their leave Madame Laroche-Mathieu looked like a househter of a notary, and had been married to the deputy when he was only a barrister of save one the idea of a midhose fashi+onable education had been acquired through a circulating library The Viscountess de Perceers” touched these vulgar hands with repugnance
Clotilde, wrapped in lace, said to Madeleine as she went out: ”Your dinner was perfection In a little while you will have the leading political drawing-rooe she clasped hi Pretty-boy, I love you more and more every day!”
XII
The Place de la Trinite lay, al July sun
An oppressive heat was crushi+ng Paris It was as though the upper air, scorched and deadened, had fallen upon the city--a thick, burning air that pained the chests inhaling it The fountains in front of the church fell lazily They see, tired out, limp, too; and the water of the basins, in which leaves and bits of paper were floating, looked greenish, thick and glaucous A dog having ju in the dubious fluid A few people, seated on the benches of the little circular garden skirting the front of the church, watched the animal curiously
Du Roy pulled out his watch It was only three o'clock He was half an hour too soon He laughed as he thought of this appoint as far as she is concerned,” said he to hi married a Jew, enable her to assume an attitude of protestation in the world of politics and a respectable one in that of fashi+on, and serve as a shelter to her gallant rendezvous So ion as an u stick; if sunshi+ny, a parasol; if it rains, a shelter; and if one does not go out, why, one leaves it in the hall And there are hundreds like that who care for God about as ainst If it were suggested to theo to a hotel, they would think it infamous, but it seems to them quite simple to make love at the foot of the altar”
He walked slowly along the edge of the fountain, and then again looked at the church clock, which o minutes faster than his watch It was five ht that he would be more comfortable inside, and entered the church The coolness of a cellar assailed him, he breathed it with pleasure, and then took a turn round the nave to reconnoiter the place Other regular footsteps, so anew, replied from the further end of the vast pile to the sound of his ohich rang sonorously beneath the vaulted roof A curiosity to knoho this other proentle about with his nose in the air, and his hat behind his back Here and there an old wo, her face hidden in her hands A sensation of solitude and rest stole over the lass as refreshi+ng to the eyes Du Roy thought that it was ”deucedly comfortable” inside there
He returned towards the door and again looked at his watch It was still only a quarter-past three He sat down at the entrance to the arette The slow footsteps of the stout gentleman could still be heard at the further end of the church, near the choir
Soe turned sharply round It was a poor woman in a woolen skirt, who fell on her knees close to the first chair, and remained motionless, with clasped hands, her eyes turned to heaven, her soul absorbed in prayer Du Roy watched her with interest, asking hirief, what pain, what despair could have crushed her heart She orn out by poverty, it was plain She had, perhaps, too, a husband as beating her to death, or a dying child He murmured er rose up in hiainst pitiless Nature Then he reflected that these poor wretches believed, at any rate, that they were taken into consideration up above, and that they were duly entered in the registers of heaven with a debtor and creditor balance Up above! And Du Roy, who reflections, judging creation at a bound,is!”
The rustle of a dress made him start It was she
He rose, and advanced quickly She did not hold out her hand, but et back home Kneel down near me, so that wea safe and suitable spot, like a woman well acquainted with the place Her face was hidden by a thick veil, and she walked with careful footsteps that could scarcely be heard
When she reached the choir she turned, and muttered, in that mysterious tone of voice ays assume in church: ”The side aisles will be better We are too h altar, turned to the right, and returned a little way towards the entrance; then, e took possession of the next one to her, and as soon as they were in an attitude of prayer, began: ”Thanks; oh, thanks; I adore you! I should like to be always telling you so, to tell you how I began to love you, hoas captivated the first time I saw you Will you allow me some day to open my heart to tell you all this?”
She listened to hi She replied between her fingers: ”I am mad to allow you to speak to , mad to let you believe that--that--this adventure can have any issue
Forget all this; you ain of it”
She paused He strove to find an answer, decisive and passionate words, but not being able to join action to words, was partially paralyzed He replied: ”I expect nothing, I hope for nothing I love you Whatever you may do, I will repeat it to you so often, with such power and ardor, that you will end by understanding it I want to make my love penetrate you, to pour it into your soul, word by word, hour by hour, day by day, so that at length it i drop by drop; softens you, es you later on to reply toagainst hi, and she stah he had received a blow, and sighed: ”Good God”
She replied, in panting tones: ”Ought I to have told you that? I feel I ahters, but I cannot help it, I cannot help it I could not have believed, I should never have thought--but it is stronger than I Listen, listen: I have never loved anyone but you; I swear it And I have loved you for a year past in secret, in led till I can do so no , with her hands crossed in front of her face, and her whole fra, shaken by the violence of her ee murmured: ”Give me your hand, that I may touch it, that I may press it”
She sloithdrew her hand from her face He saw her cheek quite wet and a tear ready to fall on her lashes He had taken her hand and was pressing it, saying: ”Oh, how I should like to drink your tears!”