r when driving, or when going to the
theatre, or when paying calls; and this use which she made of him quite
satisfied the General. Still of imposing appearance and presence, as
well as of fair height, he had a dyed moustache and whiskers (he had
formerly been in the cuirassiers), and a handsome, though a somewhat
wrinkled, face. Also, his manners were excellent, and he could carry a
frockcoat well--the more so since, in Paris, he took to wearing his
orders. To promenade the Boulevards with such a man was not only a
thing possible, but also, so to speak, a thing advisable, and with this
programme the good but foolish General had not a fault to find. The
truth is that he had never counted upon this programme when he came to
Paris to seek us out. On that occasion he had made his appearance
nearly shaking with terror, for he had supposed that Blanche would at
once raise an outcry, and have him put from the door; wherefore, he was
the more enraptured at the turn that things had taken, and spent the
month in a state of senseless ecstasy. Already I had learnt that, after
our unexpected departure from Roulettenberg, he had had a sort of a
fit--that he had fallen into a swoon, and spent a week in a species of
garrulous delirium. Doctors had been summoned to him, but he had broken
away from them, and suddenly taken a train to Paris. Of course
Blanche's reception of him had acted as the best of all possible cures,
but for long enough he carried the marks of his affliction, despite his
present condition of rapture and delight. To think clearly, or even to
engage in any serious conversation, had now become impossible for him;
he could only ejaculate after each word "Hm!" and then nod his head in
confirmation. Sometimes, also, he would laugh, but only in a nervous,
hysterical sort of a fashion; while at other times he would sit for
hours looking as black as night, with his heavy eyebrows knitted. Of
much that went on he remained wholly oblivious, for he grew extremely
absent-minded, and took to talking to himself. Only Blanche could awake
him to any semblance of life. His fits of depression and moodiness in
corners always meant either that he had not seen her for some while, or
that she had gone out without taking him with her, or that she had
omitted to caress him before departing. When in this condition, he
would refuse to say what he wanted--nor had he the least idea that he
was thus sulking and moping. Next, after remaining in thi