Two banks of the Seine

nue Kléber, on the occasion of the engagement of their niece, Mlle. Genevieve de Saulvard, to M. Briss

men of the drawing-room-the full contingent of their acquaintances filled their apartment after 11 lock. All the gu

s and spread here and there with dishes of frozen fruit in large pale pink or green rings like dull-colored silk plaques. And everywhere there were flowers, in bushes, baskets and garlands. Rows of white chrysanthemum

rt of barbaric guard of honor in front of the piano. In the interval between the dances peopl

mily beat the rhythm with their feet; the heads of young women were bent backwards and their eyes shone in enamored glances. The enervating beatitude of that music caused them all to tremble for an instant in spite of themselves with th

wn color and their own place. The whirlwind of the dancers was broken up; close embraces ceased and steady glances turned away. Instinctively everyone fell back among hi

Tavarande; they had committed themselves at the urgent entreaty of Mme. de Saulvard. There were also some brother officers of the fiancé, in sky-blue coats and red tr

. They examined the women, one by one, studiously, as if these had been cattle at a fair. With their heavy, disdainful eyelids, one could hardly tell whether they

ge the other elements of the assembly. He had

lightest opening, this group assumed dark countenances. They had a welcome for none but the representatives of the aristocracy. The latter, however, were massed a little away from them; they formed a small élite, had closed their ranks after the necessary greetings, and henceforth affected to ignore their

. They hardly even exchanged brief amenities or passed chairs to each other in order to avoid any promiscuity with the Ac

circle with the groups of painters and musicians. But e

e air of a guardian of a public dancing hall, or the controller of a casino who checked

he hopped on his high pointed heels as if waiting, or thanking for, a tip. He murmured, following them five or six steps, appropriate flatteries to all his invited guests, as soo

family appeared, he n

!... What joy!... I wa

ht that of M. Rain

!... What a triumph!... What a beautifu

tiptoe so as to reach the ea

t your daughter very much.... No escape.... Fata volunt.... This way,

d second rows. M. and Mme. Raindal settled down behind and Thérèse sat in front of them between the two daughters of one of her fathe colleagues. They were thin and small, like the raw-boned hectic teams that draw

one of our young confrères, whose name you surely know: M. Pierre Boerzell...." Each of the t

erzell ... Ml

orchestra was preluding with the sl

you give me the plea

cally Thér

nce ... but if you wish ... we might

waltz. He took one of the chairs they had left empty by the side of Thérèse. The conversation, whic

His eyes, however, behind the thick glasses of his pince-nez, shone with a kind and tender light. When he talked, his voice had those caressing and particular inflections of int

flirting over the interpretation of a tri-lingual inscription recently discovered in Mesopotamia. Thérèse was defending her in

agement. "Mademoiselle is very strong; she kn

M. Raind

t the first!... O

s were coming back to their stand which the

ake you to the buffet wi

monsieur! Will y

d behind, going towards the buffet through the cr

eat through the wide open door he could see without effort into the dining-room. He perceived the back of his wife; she was bent over the elaborate table hastily making her choice. Against the high chimney covered with whi

would be too fine!... And yet, who knew!... The ebb and flow of contradictory though

al and hid his daughter from his sight. The last comers tipped their heads to one side, straining their ears to catch the maste replies. "You are very good...."

ilent and listened to M. Raindal, who was recalling me

of Saulvard caused the ra

Gentlemen

making a path for a dark-haired young woman who h

ne of your lady admirers who is longing to make your acquain

ed, one hand resting on

I am deli

mbannes

the contrary,

ss as if, in spite of their mutual goo

on; the waves of her black hair, brushed in classic style back towards her neck, concealed in its rich coils something savage

. I cannot say how much I was charmed with it, and how much amused.... Ah! it must be so int

interrupted, as he blinked his slantin

as the members of the little group

M. Raindal and the young woman sat

at being so close to the low-cut dress of his admirer. Despite himself his glances were fastened to it and followed her full and easy curves. It seemed to him that an invisible force compelled his eyes to look at that skin, dull and diaphanous like a piece of fine china, at those perfumed breasts that rose and fell quietly against the ruffles of the opening without needing its

hapters or passages in which to plant her "so charming" and her "so pretty" like equal good marks of alternate colors. Suddenly her graceful face smiled agai

to search. Finally he

o kn

ommanded Mme. Chambannes

ing to find the answer

ttractive but

loud, imitatin

ly ca think

Well! precisely, next winter, she intended to travel with her husband, to go to Cairo, Alexandria and the Nile. M. Rainda book had come in

ted them. "Forgive me.... Would you be ki

of c

ade the pr

... one of our best friends ..

ds which one readily fancies wearing a gold-braided cocked hat ornamented with a panache of green feathers. At the time of the financial smash of 1882, he had suffered from an attack of facial paraly

he different pieces of which it had been composed, M. Raindal could consult several of his colleagues: the Count de Lastreins, of the Academy of Inscriptions; Baron Grollet, unattached member of the Beaux Arts, or the Viscount de Sernhac, of the Académie Fran?aise, all good friends or old comrades of the Marquis.) Well, one

element Mme. Chambannes piped softly at intervals her "very prettys" and "very charmings." M. Chambannes, a tall, fair-haired man, with a faded complexion, a weak eye and fine and scanty hair, had joined her in the meantime. H

ere so courteous for all their stupidity. Nevertheless, after a while he grew impatient with this strained politeness, the end of which he could not foresee. He was now equally

hing continually, stammered replies that were like so many apologies. Thérèse observed in silence; her virile glance judged it all mercilessly. Then Mme. Chambannes asked what their receiving day was and i

e Meu

dam

t. Will you per

words to M. de Meuze, who listened, bent towar

know whether he will.... W

arching the groups with his one small green eye. At the door of the buffet he promptly turned

st be asking something absurd and impracticable, for she could see that brown neck shaken in indignant denials; the young man was apparently asserting that they were mad or playing a

r of a dark agate, the same black mustache with its impertinent tips, the same swaying of the body over two straight legs. He was comi

her parents nor the Chambannes, nor Boerzell, nor the couples that were beginning to dance, nor the people near her, nor those beyon

se to her the marquis ef

introduce my son, M

was slightly swa

ou please grant me th

e tone of a schoolgi

not dance.... I

r? It all depends o

wink, either friendly or ironi

oiselle, I guaran

Perspiration ran down her back. She was dominated by the desire to be in those arms, as once she had been in others so very

monsieur,

she were a child and carried her off gently among the dancers. Her feet no longer touched the floor. Couples brushed lightly against her. She had the impress

. What did I say?... I

thin lips were pale with pleasu

ly into it.... Music pushes you along like waves.... Then,

te silence he continued his

s regaining control of herself as she did upon awaking from those guilt

ig, olive-skinned man who played with serious expression. The long movements of his bow tore from his violin these panting melodies and his fat scarlet-coated chest swayed with the effort; he had the listening eye and his eyelids trembled. Thérèse envie

start a

might refuse and, const

, the dance is

reason.... O

r back. A sudden fear seized her. She saw herself duly thanked, sitting down again, weaned for the re

s, one mo

each of these soft passes Thérèse felt the floor giving way under them. Unwittingly she fastened herself to Gerald,

. Raindal that she was. But she was dazed, ravished. She ceased to struggle and, her e

er great idea they had had, his father and Zozé!... Moreover that young child was pulling all the skin off his shoulder with her bony fingers that clung to him to save her from falling. Ah! Well! This was really too

last drop! Ju

tle the people who were in his way. He set her upon a

s, Boerzell and the marquis jumped to th

ly a faint sad moan escaped from her parted lips which showed her uneven teeth. They bathed her temples with fresh water but this brought no result either. As one goes to requisition the firemen o

ing.... You must

e. Saulvar room, where her mother

ed Mme. Chambannes bending over her in the pose of a guardian angel, and her mothe

e her head and her ridiculous fall in the middle of a dance. What a double insult to her pride! She wanted to plunge into n

! Quiet your nerves!" Mme.

èse. She mastered herself suddenly, stood up,

r and less command of herself had a man seen her thus undressed and disheveled. Her eyes shone bigger; her eyelids showed a dark shadow as if she had spent a sleepless night. Perspiration had laid oily tints on the wings of her nostrils and marked her powdere

ambannes risked....

coldly

r, madame,

mother and asked i

ther, are

y, dear," Mme.

anteroom where th

room. When she came back, leaning on her fathe arm, they were gone. Stupefied, M. Raindal, his satin hat curled under his arm, supported her wearily

at damned heat!" he

orm over the ebony b

news.... It will be nothing

m, watching the black streets and the gas street-lamps with their yellow flames flattened in fanshape. Sitting sideways the master lost his balance at every jump of the wheels. He had to catch himself up w

uncomfortable. Come an

t at all.... Do you move....

, father,

and once more Thé

outing profile behind which, no doubt, lurked sorrowful

l, d

d, "Well, w

hen M. Rai

ce." Thérèse started; she looked at

youn

M. Boe

one.... Poor fellow, she had forgotten him s

ather,

ndal i

eemed to li

to, perhaps ..

You have thought it over wel

I told you....

d and tenderly bent towar

kissed her

have no right

e sure, he added, with

t such a good-looking

the contraction i

r dancer.... What was his n

ed her hand back and

Boerzell does not appeal to me.... I refuse him....

ruined the prospects of little Boerzell owing to that advantageous height of his. A lost attempt! M. Raindal became absorbed in self-recr

their lids. With anguish she was estimating the number of hours that would stretch before the next morning, the blessed moment when she could confess her recent sins in the peace of the Church.