Two banks of the Seine

r him in the smoking-room, whi

n, Oriental cigarettes in a cup, a note-book bound in morocco and gold, and on each side of the table, an Empire armch

hat and gloves, which he hesi

each other and t

dictated a list of book

esh so artfully that it seemed a natural velvet. Rays of light skimmed it without being reflected, and they touched likewise the soft, thin silk of her afternoon dress. The shades were pale, its pattern indistinct, being covered wit

rness around the master. M. Raindal coughed to cover his discomfort; he brought his for

tated his list,

d n

earn to work alone! In spite of my eagerness to help y

They will not be lessons; ... we shall have our little tal

Zozé whenever he found an illustration or when he had to give an explanation. She bent over the table. The soft curls of her hair sometimes lightly tickle

le!... Will you allow me, de

rse, de

gain the study of the engravings when M.

her floating dress released a stronger whiff. But it was no longer iris or violet; it was a sweet, warm odor like th

mis. Several personages of antiquity were thus favored; there was, notably Cleopatra, according to a papyrus fou

erfume struck his nostrils, he pinched them shyly, as if they were threatened with a poisonous gas. He often remained speechless before a picture, unable to complete his

one tiny word, if I a

ped between the hanging portières her profile with its powerfu

ar!" Mme. Ch

oom. M. Raindal sighed deeply. Now that he found himself in calm solitude he suddenly lost all his anxiety. His impression was one of hidden pleasure, danger overcome and flattering mystery. In this new mood, he would even have thought it not unpleasant if

ly stood in her way, her arms stretched acros

ght, dear master? Mme. de Ma

ctioner who sold them. Mme. de Marquesse pretended to know a better brand. Each of the two praised her own dealer. The port wine had enlivened them-and, laughingly, forefingers stretched out, they taxed each other with appalling

ting our work!" Zozé

aside. A bald, corpulent ecclesiastic, who seemed to be in his fifties and w

so much sincere surprise that it was hard to guess whether the prie

ed the men t

let orphanage, our neighbor in the country a

tation he always showed in order to dissimu

bé asked, with a sli

author of the L

!" Zozé c

ough accounts of it in the newspapers, to speak of it freely. He praised the master upon some particular c

hly for a brochure he was preparing concerning the sect of the United Coptic Church. He had, moreover, published in the Annals of Christian Archeology, two articles dealing with the H

e. Gradually the master thawed out. He imparted to the abbé some picturesque details concerning the Thebaid which, from professional instinct, he had

tay for din

tation, his round cheeks distended in a cord

?" Zozé pursued. "Wil

M. Raindal sighed. "I am expected..

ck hinge-like mustache. Everyone stood up. He shook hands with M. R

o, my dear sir?... Are you

d, monsieur ... an

ming next Thursday!... Thursday, I shall forbid the door.... I shall

ith him. They shook hands as they parted, Mme. de Marquesse pulling his arm so sharply that he f

he murmure

ore he hai

cipate irony or unwelcome queries by a

stitute or a lecture at the Collège de France. He multiplied the details,

replied with good humor; she seemed

eligion? Did she not know that he was irrevocably damned, marked beforehand, because of his own atheism, for eternal torments? She remembered, m

e abbé; her pained expression made Thérèse laugh so much that her fa

s not Thérèse laughing at him? M. Raindal examined her furtiv

visit to the rue de Prony more than to transmit Zoz compliments

e Notre-Dame-des-Champs. He asked his family not to expect him, as he was detained by the gracious en

r, since he had, on his last visit, almost promised to be the guest of his pupil for the following Thursday. Nevertheless,

age. She read it, shrugged her sho

Raindal asked, comi

plied sarc

her who is staying o

ore? They had never had any possible communion of the spirit; they had never formed against M. Raindal one of those little jocular alliances of the kind that amused the master and his daug

re?" the old lady rep

told you!" Thérèse

e will go there

o kn

ed tone, Mme. R

nes will bring him into no danger!... Tell me, you

hat to

entangle himself too deeply.... Dear, you know better than I d

ttingly of her isolation, of her life-long relegation

erefore, do worry before there is any need to.... And if yol believe me, let us meet father with pleasant faces; we

later

iscuss it together and find out wha

at I should talk with yo

hesi

this ... of

iss her mother an

ther!... You are so

own the cheek o

her ... sometimes, each at your desk, with never a word for

hort, weary steps, to

s, to please M. Raindal, was giv

g ourselves.... My Uncle and Aunt Panhias, our friend,

name when the latter e

ehind his spectacles, his eyes shone with joy. Zoz

te with learning.... I am surprised-should I admit it?-that with this obvious gift for science,

too ... too kind!..." the abbé stammere

e orphanage which required his assiduous, daily care, care of all sorts, financial as well as moral, literary as much as administrative. Then, there were his enemies, his numberless enemies wh

hboring chateaux-that of Mme. Chambannes, for instance, the Chateau des Frettes-the radicals of the region accused him before the prefect of carrying on a reactionary propaganda. On the other hand, anonymous denunciations poured in at the bisho

lar baptism certificate? Should I decline the money of the Israelites who help me bring up my children?... Poor li

if he had heard the voi

women, luxury and comfort, and also because in the midst of this society, which knows little of dogmas, y

did on his visits to the bishop, when Monse

liter! non c

al, who had listened only with hal

Tourond

I was abusing them.... You know, we of the South, we are warm-

n was that of a gray-headed bookkeeper. His gait, the way he stood and the folds of his bearded face showed the fatigue of one of those office clerks to whom money has come too late. Mme. Panhias, on the other hand, seemed optimistic and jovi

h were in evening dress. Instinctively M. Raindal lowered his eyes to examine his own frock

The ogling and the perfume of Mme. Chambannes now proved to be nothing more than stimulants to his ready tongue. They addressed each other as comrades, with a slight touch of fatherly superiority on the part of M. Raindal and of willing submissiveness on that of Mme. Chambannes. Even Chambannes made use, when he spoke to the master, of such turns of speech as were reserved as a rule for old friends. How different from the first dinner, when M. Raindal had felt himself so awkward and slow in recovering his heart

ow degrees, she went over to Gerald. He had let himself fall down on the divan and was sending s

ou making a

ter a while, he grunted. "Is this

pressed

hope you are

ered conte

s bore me somewhat!... Your little frie

was pouring himself a glass of bran

t of a lamp over which he bent in order to relight his cigar. Well, he was not so very young, in spite of appearances! The light now revealed at the corners of his eyes, of his lips

ty. Was it any reason, because M. de Meuze did not bestow admiring glances upon him, because the ma face had worn a

ted him in the midst of

... What about our gre

ext lesson. The conversation turned to less serious subjects. Aunt Panhias, as if she were relieved from a professional secret, let herself go on the subject of Smyrna. Fearing to fall asleep, M. Raindal withdrew at eleven. Downstairs, Mme. Chambann

to himself.... "Ah, yes,

o sharp refusals cut his words short. A rush of blood colored his brow. Of course they agreed

rted sc

ave no intention of being a party to your fanci

is increased his displeasure. He hurried on and arrived half-an-hour too soon. Conversely, and quite against her custom, Mme. Chambannes was half-an-hour late. He waited a whole hour in the smoking-room while daylight gradually faded. The servants had forgotten to turn on the lights. M. Raindal, daring neither to ring for them, no

er!... Is it possible? I am late,

n up above her eyebrows. Her dainty little nose was pink at the tip, owing to the cold weather outside-or perhaps to the recent caresses. Sh

ckly!... At five lock, we are forever being disturbed.... First it is one; then i

ne once more; he nodded

f the lesson for six.... W work from six to seven ... an

ch she would receive the news of this new arrangement. A longing came over him to defy her, to have his revenge on her and to

its me.... It is ag

t of caution

unforeseen occurs, unless the

nes pouted r

. Are you not free, absolutely free?... Do you think that yo

the ladies. Zozé did not seem offended by their defection. Had she not gained something that would console her? She was saving one ho

Raindal is getti

l was the guest of the C

the rue de Prony at six. He stopped on his way usually at a florist and bought two or three large roses, some orchids, a very large bunch of violets or early lilac and offered them to Mme.

illustrating the past with facts from contemporary life, smoothing it over, thinning it down to the precise dimensions of his

ys or bits of social gossip, or she sketched for his benefit the character of some of her chief women friends. M. Raindal had no curious details to give of his own daily life and went back to

ootnotes of his Life of Cleopatra for her. Invariably the master refused, alleging that if he did, Mme. Chambannes would be the fir

de called him aside and informed him that Mme. Chambannes had almost succe

... 'Well, my dear abbé, please be so kind as to buy it for me!'... I smelled an evil temptation and replied, with some readiness of wit, I may well say: 'Alas, Madame!

ssed the hand of the

. Chambannes invited only her near relatives on Thursdays, such as her Uncle and Aunt Panhias

them. Zozé took pride in this constant abstention, taking

he perpetual coquetry of the young Count! Moreover, these were harmless reprisals and allowed Gerald, at the most, to take lessons from an old lady!...

old savant" still endured, she defended herself with malicious smiles, with a "how silly you are!" or a "leave me alone!" which revealed her joy at the coincidence

his." Others said of Zozé that she was mad, and disparaged M. Rainda personal appearance. The most faithful pleaded and recalled the irreproachable tenderness of the young woman for Gerald. But these arguments left Marquesse shrugging his shoulders and Herschstein humming a hunting air, with this much to add to their skepticism, that the master had twice already declined the pleasure of appearing at their tables. These stories were good enough for women! Facts were still facts. Let the Chambannes pride thems

flag of guaranty and safeguard. She bestowed upon M. Raindal all the delicate attentions and the kind deference she had once shown to the conciliating ecclesiastic. She presented the master, on his birthday, with a gorgeous scarf-pin made up of a turquoise scarab mounted in pale gold. She had

pretty tie!" Zozé rema

res assumed a m

ink so?...

ing to the ideas of his tailor-a little tailor of the ru

rs are not more expensive than bad ones....

hem; the master gave in and made an appointment

worse when it came to trying on. M. Raindal did not want any silk facings to his frock-coat. Blacks wished to force him. M. Raindal lost his patience and rebelled. He did not want any facings and he was not going to have any. Blacks b

M. Raindal was softened by their gayety and fell in with their opinion. Henceforth, Zozé did not hesitate to advise him in the matter o

and, of course, with such heavier expenses as the order to Blacks. The Académie had finally given him the Vital-Gerbert prize, and this helped

ly. But duty is a burden that is best borne by all the parties together. And M.

earful of their sarcastic comments, preserved silence concerning his weekly dinners. It had come to this, that the name of Chambannes was never uttered, unless it became necessary; even then, the women wrapped up its syllables with a light intonation, as one rolls explosives in cotton-wool. Whenever M. Raindal formulated unexpected theories upon the public usefulness of luxury, the dangers of puritanis

e he had felt in his home. He guessed every action and word of his to be spied upon, jeered at and censured either aloud or in low voic

ishing for an open dispute, a straightforward attack, a solid and clear-cut family

r social status whom he could name if called upon? Had he not a score of times discreetly urged his wife and daughter to pay the call they owed the Chambannes? Was he not ready to take them to the rue de Prony as often as they could wish? Did he manifest any spite, as so many others might do, for all the deceptions and for the bitterness which Mme. Rainda uneasy religiosity had scattered between them? Did he play the part of a bad husband, a bad father, a frivolous and dissipated man?... Well the

y might not be affording the evil-minded an opening. At once a rebellion which he attributed to pride moved him to smile at such scruples. He derived from his reflections a new energy for the indulgence of his inclination. Throughout the week, he lost no opportunity, whether at the dining-table or elsewhere, to flay the ridicule of ped

his overcoat and affectionately inquired about his health, to the abbé Touronde, to Aunt Panhias and even the indolent Chambannes himself! Upstairs, Zozé came out to meet him and gave him her hand to kiss. And, during four good hours, M. Raindal forg

himself well, told him not to catch cold. As the end of the winter

a long way to go for a man of his age..

oad seemed a long one to him but, as he neared the rue Notre-Dame-des-Champs, he slackened his pace

crossed the little apartment on tiptoe; the silk lining of his frock-coat rustled against his legs as a last echo of the elegances he had left behind. The mediocrity of his lodging was all the more apparent to him. What poor furniture, what a lack of comfort after the luxury, the ease and all the

oarse morning garb, that common, dark dressing-gown which

among the precious gifts and the powerful faculties. His discovery exalted him to such a point that he felt himself caught in a sudden rush of compassion, instead of mentally reproaching her for the physical disgrace she had suffered which had for some time unwittingly ill-disposed him toward her. He ran to Thérèse and ardently kissed her forehead. Sh

embittered by the failure of their attempt, cursing each other inwardly for the wrongs which each laid

r night, M. Raindal, returning home from the

was late; he knocked at the door a

illow; she had not undressed

ot wait for him. She looked up and rubbed the tears fro

arest?... Were you cryi

with a brusque move

s.... It is nothing....

ed me?" M. Raindal

ay.... I tell you it is nothing

er; he retired and shut the door behind him wit

with Thérèse? What was it that caused her such great pain? Remorse insinuated: "If it were you! Suppose your Thursday visits, you

g about it any more. Why should he torment the poor child with questions? Again, it