said, without looking at me.

"She rose, and still reading, followed us to the door. On the threshold
she took my hand, pressed it very affectionately, and said, 'We shall
meet again...'

"'No,' I replied, wringing her hand, so that she cried out. 'You love
your husband. I leave to-morrow.'

"And I rushed away, leaving my uncle, to whom she said:

"'Why, what is the matter with your nephew?'

"The good Abbe completed my work by pointing to his head and heart, as
much as to say, 'He is mad, madame; you must forgive him!' and with all
the more truth, because he really thought it.

"Six days after, I set out with an appointment as vice-consul in Spain,
in a large commercial town, where I could quickly qualify to rise in the
career of a consul, to which I now restricted my ambition. After I had
established myself there, I received this letter from the Count:--

"'MY DEAR MAURICE,--

"'If I were happy, I should not write to you, but I have entered on a
new life of suffering. I have grown young again in my desires, with all
the impatience of a man of forty, and the prudence of a diplomatist, who
has learned to moderate his passion. When you left I had not yet been
admitted to the _pavillon_ in the Rue Saint-Maur, but a letter had
promised me that I should have permission--the mild and melancholy
letter of a woman who dreaded the agitations of a meeting. After waiting
for more than a month, I made bold to call, and desired Gobain to
inquire whether I could be received. I sat down in a chair in the avenue
near the lodge, my head buried in my hands, and there I remained for
almost an hour.

"'"Madame had to dress," said Gobain, to hide Honorine's hesitancy under
a pride of appearance which was flattering to me.

"'During a long quarter of an hour we both of us were possessed by an
involuntary nervous trembling as great as that which seizes a speaker on
the platform, and we spoke to each other sacred phrases, like those of
persons taken by surprise who "make believe" a conversation.

"'"You see, Honorine," said I, my eyes full of tears, "the ice is
broken, and I am so tremulous with happiness that you must forgive the
incoherency of my language. It will be so for a long time yet."

"'"There is no crime in being in love with your wife," said she with a
forced smile.

"'"Do me the favor," said I, "no longer to work as you do. I have heard
from Madame Gobain that for three weeks you have been living on your
savings;