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"Yourwife?
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"Yes,monsieur.
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"Then-then-youdonotlivetogether-inParis?
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"Ibegyourardon,monsieur,butwearelivingtogether!
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"Butinthatcase-youmustbemad,altogethermad,mydearsir,togetcaughtlayingloversinthecountryatteno&aos;clockinthemorning.
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Thehaberdasherseemedreadytocrywithshame,andhemuttered:
"Itwasshewhoenticedme!Itoldheritwasverystuid,butwhenawomanoncegetsathingintoherhead-youknow-youcannotgetitout.
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Themayor,wholikedajoke,smiledandrelied:
"Inyourcase,thecontraryoughttohavehaened.Youwouldnotbehere,ifshehadhadtheideaonlyinherhead.
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ThenMonsieurBeauainwasseizedwithrageandturningtohiswife,hesaid:
"Doyouseetowhatyouhavebroughtuswithyouroetry?Andnowweshallhavetogobeforethecourtsatourage,forabreachofmorals!Andweshallhavetoshututhesho,sellourgoodwill,andgotosomeotherneighborhood!That&aos;swhatithascometo.
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MadameBeauraingotu,andwithoutlookingatherhusband,sheexlainedherselfwithoutembarrassment,withoutuselessmodesty,andalmostwithouthesitation.
"Ofcourse,monsieur,Iknowthatwehavemadeourselvesridiculous.Willyouallowmetoleadmycauselikeanadvocate,orratherlikeaoorwoman?AndIhoethatyouwillbekindenoughtosendushome,andtosareusthedisgraceofarosecution.
"Yearsago,whenIwasyoung,ImadeMonsieurBeaurain&aos;sacquaintanceoneSundayinthisneighborhood.Hewasemloyedinadraer&aos;ssho,andIwasasaleswomaninaready-madeclothingestablishment.Irememberitasifitwereyesterday.IusedtocomeandsendSundayshereoccasionallywithafriendofmine,RoseLeveque,withwhomIlivedintheRuePigalle,andRosehadasweetheart,whileIhadnone.Heusedtobringushere,andoneSaturdayhetoldmelaughingthatheshouldbringafriendwithhimthenextday.Iquiteunderstoodwhathemeant,butIreliedthatitwouldbenogood;forIwasvirtuous,monsieur.
"ThenextdaywemetMonsieurBeaurainattherailwaystation,andinthosedayshewasgood-looking,butIhadmadeumymindnottoencouragehim,andIdidnot.Well,wearrivedatBezons.Itwasalovelyday,thesortofdaythattouchesyourheart.Whenitisfineevennow,justasitusedtobeformerly,Igrowquitefoolish,andwhenIaminthecountryIutterlylosemyhead.Thegreengrass,theswallowsflyingsoswiftly,thesmellofthegrass,thescarletoies,thedaisies,allthatmakesmecrazy.Itislikechamagnewhenoneisnotaccustomedtoit!
"Well,itwaslovelyweather,warmandbright,anditseemedtoenetrateyourbodythroughyoureyeswhenyoulookedandthroughyourmouthwhenyoubreathed.RoseandSimonhuggedandkissedeachothereveryminute,andthatgavemeaqueerfeeling!MonsieurBeaurainandIwalkedbehindthem,withoutseakingmuch,forwheneoledonotknoweachother,theydonotfindanythingtotalkabout.Helookedtimid,andIlikedtoseehisembarrassment.Atlastwegottothelittlewood;itwasascoolasinabaththere,andwefoursatdown.RoseandherloverteasedmebecauseIlookedratherstern,butyouwillunderstandthatIcouldnotbeotherwise.Andthentheybegantokissandhugagain,withoututtinganymorerestraintuonthemselvesthanifwehadnotbeenthere;andthentheywhiseredtogether,andgotuandwentoffamongthetrees,withoutsayingaword.YoumayfancywhatIlookedlike,alonewiththisyoungfellowwhomIsawforthefirsttime.Ifeltsoconfusedatseeingthemgothatitgavemecourage,andIbegantotalk.Iaskedhimwhathisbusinesswas,andhesaidhewasalinendraer&aos;sassistant,asItoldyoujustnow.Wetalkedforafewminutes,andthatmadehimbold,andhewantedtotakelibertieswithme,butItoldhimsharlytokeehislace.Isnotthattrue,MonsieurBeaurain?
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MonsieurBeaurain,whowaslookingathisfeetinconfusion,didnotrely,andshecontinued:
"ThenhesawthatIwasvirtuous,andhebegantomakelovetomenicely,likeanhonorableman,andfromthattimehecameeverySunday,forhewasverymuchinlovewithme.Iwasveryfondofhimalso,veryfondofhim!Hewasagood-lookingfellow,formerly,andinshorthemarriedmethenextSetember,andwestartedinbusinessintheRuedesMartyrs.
"Itwasahardstruggleforsomeyears,monsieur.Businessdidnotroser,andwecouldnotaffordmanycountryexcursions,and,besides,wehadgotoutofthewayofthem.Onehasotherthingsinone&aos;shead,andthinksmoreofthecashboxthanofrettyseeches,whenoneisinbusiness.Weweregrowingoldbydegreeswithouterceivingit,likequieteolewhodonotthinkmuchaboutlove.Onedoesnotregretanythingaslongasonedoesnotnoticewhatonehaslost.
"Andthen,monsieur,businessbecamebetter,andweweretranquilastothefuture!Then,yousee,Idonotexactlyknowwhatwentoninmymind,no,Ireallydonotknow,butIbegantodreamlikealittleboarding-schoolgirl.Thesightofthelittlecartsfullofflowerswhicharedrawnaboutthestreetsmademecry;thesmellofvioletssoughtmeoutinmyeasy-chair,behindmycashbox,andmademyheartbeat!ThenIwouldgetuandgooutonthedoorstetolookattheblueskybetweentheroofs.Whenonelooksuattheskyfromthestreet,itlookslikeariverwhichisdescendingonParis,windingasitflows,andtheswallowsasstoandfroinitlikefish.Theseideasareverystuidatmyage!Buthowcanonehelit,monsieur,whenonehasworkedallone&aos;slife?Amomentcomesinwhichoneerceivesthatonecouldhavedonesomethingelse,andthatoneregrets,oh!yes,onefeelsintenseregret!Justthink,fortwentyyearsImighthavegoneandhadkissesinthewoods,likeotherwomen.Iusedtothinkhowdelightfulitwouldbetolieunderthetreesandbeinlovewithsomeone!AndIthoughtofiteverydayandeverynight!Idreamedofthemoonlightonthewater,untilIfeltinclinedtodrownmyself.
"IdidnotventuretoseaktoMonsieurBeaurainaboutthisatfirst.Iknewthathewouldmakefunofme,andsendmebacktosellmyneedlesandcotton!Andthen,toseakthetruth,MonsieurBeaurainneversaidmuchtome,butwhenIlookedintheglass,IalsounderstoodquitewellthatInolongeraealedtoanyone!
"Well,Imadeumymind,andIroosedtohimanexcursionintothecountry,tothelacewherewehadfirstbecomeacquainted.Heagreedwithoutmistrustinganything,andwearrivedherethismorning,aboutnineo&aos;clock.
"IfeltquiteyoungagainwhenIgotamongthewheat,forawoman&aos;sheartnevergrowsold!Andreally,Inolongersawmyhusbandasheisatresent,butjustashewasformerly!ThatIwillsweartoyou,monsieur.AstrueasIamstandinghereIwascrazy.Ibegantokisshim,andhewasmoresurrisedthanifIhadtriedtomurderhim.Heketsayingtome:‘Why,youmustbemad!Youaremadthismorning!Whatisthematterwithyou?’Ididnotlistentohim,Ionlylistenedtomyownheart,andImadehimcomeintothewoodwithme.Thatisall.Ihavesokenthetruth,MonsieurleMaire,thewholetruth.
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Themayorwasasensibleman.Herosefromhischair,smiled,andsaid:
"Goineace,madame,andwhenyouagainvisitourforests,bemorediscreet.
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