ks," the way in which he had fallen heir to his fortune,
and the interests by which he was bound to Pecuchet.

He admired the appearance of her house, and when he came to dinner there
was struck by the neatness with which it was served and the excellent
fare placed on the table. A succession of dishes of the most savoury
description, which intermingled at regular intervals with a bottle of
old Pomard, brought them to the dessert, at which they remained a long
time sipping their coffee; and, with dilating nostrils, Madame Bordin
dipped into her saucer her thick lip, lightly shaded with a black down.

One day she appeared in a low dress. Her shoulders fascinated Bouvard.
As he sat in a little chair before her, he began to pass his hands along
her arms. The widow seemed offended. He did not repeat this attention,
but he pictured to himself those ample curves, so marvellously smooth
and fine.

Any evening when he felt dissatisfied with Melie's cooking, it gave him
pleasure to enter Madame Bordin's drawing-room. It was there he should
have lived.

The globe of the lamp, covered with a red shade, shed a tranquil light.
She was seated close to the fire, and his foot touched the hem of her
skirt.

After a few opening words the conversation flagged.

However, she kept gazing at him, with half-closed lids, in a languid
fashion, but unbending withal.

Bouvard could not stand it any longer, and, sinking on his knees to the
floor, he stammered:

"I love you! Marry me!"

Madame Bordin drew a strong breath; then, with an ingenuous air, said he
was jesting; no doubt he was trying to have a laugh at her expense--it
was not fair. This declaration stunned her.

Bouvard returned that she did not require anyone's consent. "What's to
hinder you? Is it the trousseau? Our linen has the same mark, a B--we'll
unite our capital letters!"

The idea caught her fancy. But a more important matter prevented her
from arriving at a decision before the end of the month. And Bouvard
groaned.

She had the politeness to accompany him to the gate, escorted by
Marianne, who carried a lantern.

The two friends kept their love affairs hidden from each other.

Pecuchet counted on always cloaking his intrigue with the servant-maid.
If Bouvard made any opposition to it, he could carry her off to other
places, even though it were to Algeria, where living is not so dear. But
he rarely indulged in such speculations, full as he was of his passion,
w