club, after a
night of bad luck, and while he stood outside the door of the
summer-house, hunting in his pocket for his keys, his ears distinctly
heard a voice sighing:

"Knowledge, whither dost thou lead me? Thought, whither dost thou lure
me?"

But entering the two rooms he saw nothing, and told himself that his
ears must have deceived him.

CHAPTER VIII

WHICH SPEAKS OF LOVE, A SUBJECT WHICH ALWAYS GIVES PLEASURE,
FOR A TALE WITHOUT LOVE IS LIKE BEEF WITHOUT MUSTARD: AN
INSIPID DISH

Nothing ever astonished Maurice. He never sought to know the causes of
things and dwelt tranquilly in the world of appearances. Not denying the
eternal truth, he nevertheless followed vain things as his fancy led
him.

Less addicted to sport and violent exercise than most young people of
his generation, he followed unconsciously the old erotic traditions of
his race. The French were ever the most gallant of men, and it were a
pity they should lose this advantage. Maurice preserved it. He was in
love with no woman, but, as St. Augustine said, he loved to love. After
paying the tribute that was rightly due to the imperishable beauty and
secret arts of Madame de la Bertheliere, he had enjoyed the impetuous
caresses of a young singer called Luciole. At present he was joylessly
experiencing the primitive perversity of Odile, his mother's
lady's-maid, and the tearful adoration of the beautiful Madame
Boittier. And he felt a great void in his heart.

It chanced that one Wednesday, on entering the drawing-room where his
mother entertained her friends--who were, generally speaking,
unattractive and austere ladies, with a sprinkling of old men and very
young people--he noticed, in this intimate circle, Madame des Aubels,
the wife of the magistrate at the Law Courts, whom Monsieur d'Esparvieu
had vainly consulted on the mysterious ransacking of his library. She
was young, he found her pretty, and not without cause. Gilberte had been
modelled by the Genius of the Race, and no other genius had had a part
in the work.

Thus all her attributes inspired desire, and nothing in her shape or her
being aroused any other sentiment.

The law of attraction which draws world to world moved young Maurice to
approach this delicious creature, and under its influence he offered to
escort her to the tea-table. And when Gilberte was served with tea, he
said:

"We should hit it off quite well together, you and I, don't you think?"