erything."

She was now laughing in a more subdued fashion, and, raising her mouth
up to Leuillet's ear, which was held towards her in anticipation of
some pleasant piece of confidence, she whispered--"Yes, I did deceive
him!"

He felt a cold shiver down his back, and utterly dumbfounded, he
gasped.

"You--you--did--really--deceive him?"

She was still under the impression that he thought the thing
infinitely pleasant, and replied.

"Yes--really--really."

He was obliged to sit up in bed so great was the shock he received,
holding his breath, just as overwhelmed as if he had just been told
that he was a cuckold himself. At first, he was unable to articulate
properly; then after the lapse of a minute or so, he merely
ejaculated.

"Ah!"

She, too, had stopped laughing now, realizing her mistake too late.

Leuillet, at length asked.

"And with whom?"

She kept silent, cudgeling her brain to find some excuse.

He repeated his question.

"With whom?"

At last, she said.

"With a young man."

He turned towards her abruptly, and in a dry tone, said.

"Well, I suppose it wasn't with some kitchen wench. I ask you who was
the young man--do you understand?"

She did not answer. He tore away the sheet which she had drawn over
her head, and pushed her into the middle of the bed, repeating.

"I want to know with what young man--do you understand?"

Then, she replied with some difficulty in uttering the words.

"I only wanted to laugh." But he fairly shook with rage: "What? How is
that? You only wanted to laugh? So then you were making game of me?
I'm not going to be satisfied with these evasions, let me tell you! I
ask you what was the young man's name?"

She did not reply, but lay motionless on her back.

He caught hold of her arm and pressed it tightly.

"Do you hear me, I say? I want you to give me an answer when I speak
to you."

Then, she said, in nervous tones.

"I think you must be going mad! Let me alone!"

He trembled with fury, so exasperated that he scarcely knew what he
was saying, and, shaking her with all his strength, he repeated.

"Do you hear me? do you hear me?"

She wrenched herself out of his grasp with a sudden movement, and with
the tips of her fingers slapped her husband on the nose. He entirely
lost his temper, feeling that he had been struck, and angrily pounced
down on her.

He now held her under him, boxing her ears in a most violent manner,
and exclaiming:

"Tak