The Lady of the Camellias
rge couch, her dress undone, she held one hand on her heart and allowed the other to hang limply
At times, her chest swelled in a long, indrawn sigh which, when released, seemed to aff
r ?sat down and took the hand
u?' she said
looked distraugh
u very wel
ow about you? Are you
iped away the tears which the coughing had
on in my voice. 'I wish I could be your friend, a relati
d bitterly. 'You can see how well the others look after me. The tru
ing the candle, set it on the mantelpie
running her fingers through her dishevelled hair. 'Oh,
d seated and
n by this scene, for she came up to me
silly. D
lips, and despite myself I moist
said, as she sat down again beside me. 'T
u, but what I've just seen has
ile. And anyhow, with girls like me, if there's one more or fewer of us, what difference does it make? The doc
ve over my life, but I do know this: at this moment, there is no one, not even my sister, about whom I feel more concerned than you
ociety ladies who have a family and friends. But women like me are abandoned the moment we're no more use for feeding the vanity or pleasure of our lovers, and
u and I'd make you better. And then, when you were strong enough, you could go back to the life you lead now, if that's what
the wine has made you sentimental, but you woul
ill for two months and during those two months
ut why did you
didn't know
es such niceties wi
eties with any woman; at lea
d look a
es
y by me ev
es
n every
s you weren't
d you say
otio
s this devotio
ble attraction tha
with me? Just say it straight o
tell you some day that I
er for you if you
hy
two things that can come
they
a way that is sadder than sorrow itself, someone who coughs blood and spends a hundred thousand francs a year ?which is all very well for a rich old man like the Duke, but it's
half-glimpsed beneath the golden veil that covered its stark reality from which the poor girl sought escape in deb
nsense. Give me your hand and let's go back to the diningroo
hat you want, but ple
hy
ar to see you so br
case, I'l
ou often, something which the habit of hearing will perhaps prevent you from believ
smile such as young mothers smile whe
ack. Today, when I met you after two years without seeing you, you took an even stronger hold on my heart and my thoughts. Now you have received me here, now I know you and can see eve
poor fool, that I'd ruin you in no time at all? that you family would have you declared unfit to manage your affairs to teach you not to live with creatures like me? Love me, like a good friend, but not otherwise. Come and see me, we'll laugh, we'll talk, but don'
eard coming, as she appeared at the bedroom door, her hair half undone and h
aid Marguerite, ' leave us for a
rudence, and she left, closing the door as if to reinf
went on, when we were alone
ll go
s bad a
titution, the very illness which as surely heightened her sensitivity to impressions as it did her nervous reactions ?everything mad
aying is quite ser
seri
you tell me al
d I have t
re introduced to me a
eived me very badly if
hy
aved stupidly the
l the same, you were alre
es
o bed and sleeping very soundly after the play
Do you know what I did that even
o.
carriage which brought you and your friends back here and, when I saw you
e began t
you laug
thi
I shall think that you'r
n't be
right to
good reason why I s
was
meone waiting
e could not have hurt me more. I st
odb
. 'Men have a mania for wanting to
sion for ever, ' I assure you that I am not cross. It was only natural that someone should hav
eone waiting for
t I mus
bye,
sending m
at
you say hur
urtful
omeone was wai
being so happy to see me coming in by myself, whe
stroy their happiness when, simply by allowing it to continue, we
actions to you. Assuming that one day I become your mistress, you must realize that I've had other lovers before you. If you'r
o man has ever lo
t this: are you real
ould possibly love a
has this bee
out of your barouche and go i
And what do I have to do to
e half-mocking smiles with which she had accompanied the whole of our conversation, it seemed to me that Marguerite
about th
t Du
. He's very
on't
f he d
forgive
e me and then what
ning that risk for s
you know
ve that no one should
; but he is a
if you can close you door to
ticize me since I did it to r
ad put my arms around her waist and could feel her s
how much I love
really m
wear
without arguing, without finding fault or a
ver yo
t his feeling that he has any rights over me. I have never found one yet. Men, instead of being content with being freely given for long periods what they hardly dared hope to get once, are forever asking their mistresses for an account of the present, the past and e
hall be everyth
ll s
n will w
ter
hy
large bunch of red camellias which had been delivered that morning and putting it in
ning is
you again?' I said,
ellia is a dif
it be a diffe
eleven and midnig
an you
is to your friend nor to
romi
let's go back to
in and then she, singing as she went, and I,
oom, she stopped
uld appear ready to accept you straight
ld fell beating violently and insistently, 'the reason is that since I shall not li
me like this, I
However little time I have to live, I'll
he went into th
e said, seeing Gaston
waiting for you to go to
out! Come, gentlemen, be off
way out. Marguerite squeezed my hand as sh
we were outside, 'what do
el and I'm ma
so. Did you
es
promise to
o.
like Pruden
omise to be
hink so, but that Duvernoy woman is still a bit
b