"Why lose precious hours in conspiring, in deluding himself with
chimeras; why risk his life when he loved and was loved, and when the
minutes were all too short, when he would have wished never to detach
his lips from those of the woman he loved?

"And so he did whatever Gioconda demanded.

"They fled from the city, without even telling the sentinels who were on
guard before his palace. They went far, far away, as they could not find
any retreat that was sufficiently unknown and hidden, and at last they
stopped at a small, quiet fishing village, where there were gardens full
of lemon trees, where the deserted beach looked as if it were covered
with gold, and where the sea was a deep blue until it was lost in the
distance. And while the captain and the courtesan loved each other and
wore themselves out with pleasure--with the enchantment of the sea close
to them--the irritated citizens, whom he had left were clamoring for
their idol, were indignant at his desertion, and tore up the paving
stones in the streets, to stone the man who had betrayed their
confidence and worship.

"And they pulled his statue down from its pedestal, amidst spiteful
songs and jokes, and the members of the Council breathed again ... as
they were no longer afraid of the great sword."

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WORKS OF GUY DE MAUPASSANT,
VOLUME III (OF 8)***

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