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craving。。。 〃
〃Oh； there was a reason；〃 she interrupted him。 〃I was the reason。
I spoke to Mme。 de Sautron。 I told her that I would not continue
to receive one who came to me contaminated in that fashion。〃 She
spoke of it with obvious difficulty； her colour rising as he
watched her half…averted face。
〃Had you listened to me。。。 〃 he was beginning； when again she
interrupted him。
〃M。 de Sautron conveyed my decision to him； and afterwards
represented him to me as a man in despair； repentant； ready to
give proofs … any proofs … of his sincerity and devotion to me。 He
told me that M。 de La Tour d'Azyr had sworn to him that he would
cut short that affair； that he would see La Binet no more。 And
then； on the very next day I heard of his having all but lost his
life in that riot at the theatre。 He had gone straight from that
interview with M。 de Sautron； straight from those protestations of
future wisdom； to La Binet。 I was indignant。 I pronounced myself
finally。 I stated definitely that I would not in any circumstances
receive M。 de La Tour d'Azyr again！ And then they pressed this
explanation upon me。 For a long time I would not believe it。〃
〃So that you believe it now；〃 said Andre quickly。 〃Why？〃
〃I have not said that I believe it now。 But。。。 but。。。 neither can
I disbelieve。 Since we came to Meudon M。 de La Tour d'Azyr has been
here； and himself he has sworn to me that it was so。〃
〃Oh； if M。 de La Tour d'Azyr has sworn。。。 〃 Andre…Louis was
laughing on a bitter note of sarcasm。
〃Have you ever known him lie？〃 she cut in sharply。 That checked
him。 〃M。 de La Tour d'Azyr is； after all； a man of honour； and men
of honour never deal in falsehood。 Have you ever known him do so；
that you should sneer as you have done？〃
〃No；〃 he confessed。 Common justice demanded that he should admit
that virtue at least in his enemy。 〃I have not known him lie； it
is true。 His kind is too arrogant； too self…confident to have
recourse to untruth。 But I have known him do things as vile。。。 〃
〃Nothing is as vile；〃 she interrupted； speaking from the code by
which she had been reared。 〃It is for liars only … who are first
cousin to thieves … that there is no hope。 It is in falsehood only
that there is real loss of honour。〃
〃You are defending that satyr； I think；〃 he said frostily。
〃I desire to be just。〃
〃Justice may seem to you a different matter when at last you shall
have resolved yourself to become Marquise de La Tour d'Azyr。〃 He
spoke bitterly。
〃I don't think that I shall ever take that resolve。〃
〃But you are still not sure … in spite of everything。〃
〃Can one ever be sure of anything in this world？〃
〃Yes。 One can be sure of being foolish。〃
Either she did not hear or did not heed him。
〃You do not of your own knowledge know that it was not as M。 de La
Tour d'Azyr asserts … that he went to the Feydau that night？〃
〃I don't；〃 he admitted。 〃It is of course possible。 But does it
matter？〃
〃It might matter。 Tell me； what became of La Binet after all？〃
〃I don't know。〃
〃You don't know？〃 She turned to consider him。 〃And you can say
it with that indifference！ I thought。。。 I thought you loved her；
Andre〃
〃So did I； for a little while。 I was mistaken。 It required a La
Tour d'Azyr to disclose the truth to me。 They have their uses；
these gentlemen。 They help stupid fellows like myself to perceive
important truths。 I was fortunate that revelation in my case
preceded marriage。 I can now look back upon the episode with
equanimity and thankfulness for my near escape from the consequences
of what was no more than an aberration of the senses。 It is a
thing commonly confused with love。 The experience； as you see； was
very instructive。〃
She looked at him in frank surprise。
〃Do you know； Andre； I sometimes think that you have no heart。〃
〃Presumably because I sometimes betray intelligence。 And what of
yourself； Aline？ What of your own attitude from the outset where
M。 de La Tour d'Azyr is concerned？ Does that show heart？ If I
were to tell you what it really shows； we should end by
quarrelling again； and God knows I can't afford to quarrel with
you now。 I。。。 I shall take another way。
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Why； nothing at the moment； for you are not in any danger of
marrying that animal。〃
〃And if I were？〃
〃Ah！ In that case affection for you would discover to me some
means of preventing it … unless。。 。〃 He paused。
〃Unless？〃 she demanded； challengingly； drawn to the full of her
sort height； her eyes imperious。
〃Unless you could also tell me that you loved him；〃 said he simply；
whereat she was as suddenly and most oddly softened。 And then he
added； shaking his head： 〃But that of course is impossible。〃
〃Why？〃 she asked him； quite gently now。
〃Because you are what you are； Aline … utterly good and pure and
adorable。 Angels do not mate with devils。 His wife you might
become； but never his mate； Aline … never。〃
They had reached the wrought…iron gates at the end of the avenue。
Through these they beheld the waiting yellow chaise which had
brought Andre…Louis。 From near at hand came the creak of other
wheels； the beat of other hooves； and now another vehicle came in
sight； and drew to a stand…still beside the yellow chaise … a
handsome equipage with polished mahogany panels on which the gold
and azure of armorial bearings flashed brilliantly in the sunlight。
A footman swung to earth to throw wide the gates； but in that moment
the lady who occupied the carriage； perceiving Aline； waved to her
and issued a command。
CHAPTER V
MADAME DE PLOUGASTEL
The postilion drew rein； and the footman opened the door； letting
down the steps and proffering his arm to his mistress to assist her
to alight； since that was the wish she had expressed。 Then he
opened one wing of the iron gates； and held it for her。 She was a
woman of something more than forty； who once must have been very
lovely； who was very lovely still with the refining quality that
age brings to some women。 Her dress and carriage alike advertised
great rank。
〃I take my leave here； since you have a visitor；〃 said Andre…Louis。
〃But it is an old acquaintance of your own； Andre。 You remember
Mme。 la Comtesse de Plougastel？〃
He looked at the approaching lady； whom Aline was now hastening
forward to meet； and because she was named to him he recognized her。
He must； he thought； had he but looked； have recognized her without
prompting anywhere at any time； and this although it was some
sixteen years since last he had seen her。 The sight of her now
brought it all back to him … a treasured memory that had never
permitted itself to be entirely overlaid by subsequent events。
When he was a boy of ten； on the eve of being sent to school at
Rennes； she had come on a visit to his godfather； who was her
cousin。 It happened that at the time he was taken by Rabouillet
to the Manor of Gavrillac； and there he had been presented to Mme。
de Plougastel。 The great lady； in all the glory then of her
youthful beauty； with her gentle； cultured voice … so cultured
that she had seemed to speak a language almost unknown