The Works of Guy de Maupassant, Volume II (of 8)

front of the mansion. It was the end of June at about half past five in

val face, her complexion like gilt ivory, her large gray eyes and her black hair; and she got into her carriage without looking at him, without even seeming to have noticed him, with such a particularly high-bred air, that the furious jealousy by which he ha

street. Husband and wife sat side by side, without speaking. He was thinking how to begin a conversation, but she maintained such an obstinately hard look, that he did not venture to make the attempt. At last, however, he cunningly, accidentally as it were, touched the Countes

ing up the Champs Elysées, towards the Arc de Triomphe. That immense monument, at the end of the long avenue, raised its

ess and the shining lamps, caused a double current to flow towards the town a

e in peace, pray; I am not even at liberty to have my carriage to myself, now." He, however,

violent nature gaining the upper hand, he exclaimed: "What do you mean by that?" in such a manner as revealed rather the brutal master, than the amorous man. But she replied in a low voice, so that the servants might not hear amidst the deafen

nger, and he growled between his clo

nd an excellent father, and now for the first time since they had started she turned towards him, and looked him full in the face: "Ah! You w

d." "No, but I will no longer be the victim of the hateful penalty of maternity, which you have inflicted on me for

ite of all your efforts you cannot spoil my figure, as you just now perceived, when you saw me on the outside flight of steps, you think it is time that I should become pregnant again." "But you are talking no

rvants, who are on the box, may hear. I only allowed you to come with me for that object, for I have these witnesses who will oblige you to listen to me, and to contain yourself; so now, pay attention to what I say. I have always felt an antipathy for you, an

alousy of a spy, which was as degrading for you as it was for me. I had not been married eight months, when you suspected me of every perfidiousness, and you even told me so. What a disgrace! And as you could not prevent me from being beautiful, and from pleasing people, from being called in drawing-rooms, and also in the newspapers, one of the most beautiful women in Paris, you tried everything

o the family mansion, among fields and meadows, to bring forth my child. And when I reappeared, fresh, pretty and indestructible, still seductive and constantly surrounded by admirers, hoping that at last I should live a little like a young rich woman who belongs to society, you wer

thoughts and actions): You attached yourself to your children with all the security which they gave you while I bore them in my womb. You felt affectio

uty, over my charms, over the compliments which were paid me, and over those who whispered round me, without paying them to me. And you are proud of them, you make a parade of them, you take them out for drives in your break in t

queezed it so violently that she was quiet, and nearly

n a mother. But you belong to me; I am master ... your master ... I can exact

them from that vice which was crushing them; the agony made her pant, and the tears came into her eyes. "You see that I am the mast

th of anything to you, before an altar on which Christ's body is?" "No." "Will you go with

s from his horses, seemed to turn his ear alone towards his mistress, who went on: "Drive to St. Philip-

went, without stopping, as far as the choir-screen, and falling on her knees at a chair, she buried her face in her hands. She prayed for a long time, and he, standing behind her, could see that she was c

, and one only; that I swear to you before God, who hears me here. That is the only revenge which was possible for me, in return for all your abominable tyrannies of the male, in return for the penal servitude of childbearing to which you have condemned me. Who was my lover? That you will never know! You may suspect everyone, but you will never find out. I gave myself

and to be knocked to the ground by a blow of his fist, but she heard nothing, and reached her carriage. She jumped into it at a bound,