three
waltzers were kneeling before a lady sitting on a stool. She chose the
Viscount, and the violin struck up once more.

Every one looked at them. They passed and re-passed, she with rigid
body, her chin bent down, and he always in the same pose, his figure
curved, his elbow rounded, his chin thrown forward. That woman knew how
to waltz! They kept up a long time, and tired out all the others.

Then they talked a few moments longer, and after the good-nights, or
rather good-mornings, the guests of the chateau retired to bed.

Charles dragged himself up by the balusters. His knees were going up
into his body. He had spent five consecutive hours standing bolt upright
at the card-tables, watching them play whist, without understanding
anything about it, and it was with a deep sigh of relief that he pulled
off his boots.

Emma threw a shawl over her shoulders, opened the window, and leant out.

The night was dark; some drops of rain were falling. She breathed in the
damp wind that refreshed her eyelids. The music of the ball was still
murmuring in her ears, and she tried to keep herself awake in order to
prolong the illusion of this luxurious life that she would soon have to
give up.

Day began to break. She looked long at the windows of the chateau,
trying to guess which were the rooms of all those she had noticed the
evening before. She would fain have known their lives, have penetrated,
blended with them. But she was shivering with cold. She undressed, and
cowered down between the sheets against Charles, who was asleep.

There were a great many people to luncheon. The repast lasted ten
minutes; no liqueurs were served, which astonished the doctor. Next,
Mademoiselle d'Andervilliers collected some pieces of roll in a small
basket to take them to the swans on the ornamental waters, and they went
to walk in the hot-houses, where strange plants, bristling with hairs,
rose in pyramids under hanging vases, whence, as from overfilled nests
of serpents, fell long green cords interlacing. The orangery, which was
at the other end, led by a covered way to the outhouses of the chateau.
The Marquis, to amuse the young woman, took her to see the stables.
Above the basket-shaped racks porcelain slabs bore the names of the
horses in black letters. Each animal in its stall whisked its tail when
any one went near and said "Tchk! tchk!" The boards of the harness-room
shone like the flooring of a drawing-room. The carriage harness