“Well,itwaslovelyweather,warmandbright,,andthatgavemeaqueerfeeling!MonsieurBeaurainandIwalkedbehindthem,withoutspeakingmuch,forwhenpeopledonotknoweachother,,;itwasascoolasinabaththere,,,withoutputtinganymorerestraintuponthemselvesthanifwehadnotbeenthere;andthentheywhisperedtogether,andgotupandwentoffamongthetrees,,,,andhesaidhewasalinendrapersassistant,,andthatmadehimbold,andhewantedtotakelibertieswithme,,MonsieurBeaurain?”
MonsieurBeaurain,whowaslookingathisfeetinconfusion,didnotreply,andshecontinued:“ThenhesawthatIwasvirtuous,andhebegantomakelovetomenicely,likeanhonorableman,andfromthattimehecameeverySunday,,veryfondofhim!Hewasagood-lookingfellow,formerly,andinshorthemarriedmethenextSeptember,andwestartedinbusinessintheRuedesMartyrs.”
“Itwasahardstruggleforsomeyears,,andwecouldnotaffordmanycountryexcursions,and,besides,,andthinksmoreofthecashboxthanofprettyspeeches,,.”
“Andthen,monsieur,businessbecamebetter,andweweretranquilastothefuture!Then,yousee,Idonotexactlyknowwhatwentoninmymind,no,Ireallydonotknow,;thesmellofvioletssoughtmeoutinmyeasy-chair,behindmycashbox,andmademyheartbeat!,itlookslikeariverwhichisdescendingonParis,windingasitflows,!Buthowcanonehelpit,monsieur,whenonehasworkedalloneslife？Amomentcomesinwhichoneperceivesthatonecouldhavedonesomethingelse,andthatoneregrets,oh!yes,onefeelsintenseregret!Justthink,fortwentyyearsImighthavegoneandhadkissesinthewoods,!AndIthoughtofiteverydayandeverynight!Idreamedofthemoonlightonthewater,untilIfeltinclinedtodrownmyself.”
