“I did not know what answer to give her, and
I made this philosophical reflection to myself:
‘Oh! female brain, here indeed you show yourself!’
“While speaking, she had assumed a demure, saintly
air; and resting on the cushions, she stretched herself
out at full length, with her head on my shoulder and
her dress pulled up a little, so as to show her red
silk stockings, which the fire-light made look still
brighter. In a minute or two she continued:
“‘I suppose I have frightened you?’
I protested against such a notion, and she leant against
my breast altogether, and without looking at me she
said: ‘If I were to tell you that I love
you, what would you do?’
“And before I could think of an answer, she
had thrown her arms round my neck, had quickly drawn
my head down and put her lips to mine.
“Oh! My dear friend, I can tell you that
I did not feel at all happy! What! deceive Julien?
become the lover of this little silly, wrong-headed,
cunning woman, who was no doubt terribly sensual, and
for whom her husband was already not sufficient!
To betray him continually, to deceive him, to play
at being in love merely because I was attracted by
forbidden fruit, danger incurred and friendship betrayed!
No, that did not suit me, but what was I to do?
To imitate Joseph, would be acting a very stupid,
and, moreover, difficult part, for this woman was
maddening in her perfidy, inflamed by audacity, palpitating
and excited. Let the man who has never felt on
his lips, the warm kiss of a woman who is ready to
give herself to him, throw the first stone at me ...
“... Well, a minute more ... you understand
what I mean? A minute more and ... I should
have been ... no, she would have been ... I beg
your pardon, he would have been!... when a loud noise
made us both jump up. The log had fallen into
the room, knocking over the fire-irons and the fender,
and onto the carpet which it had scorched, and had
rolled under an arm-chair, which it would certainly
set alight.
“I jumped up like a madman, and as I was replacing
that log which had saved me, on the fire, the door
opened hastily, and Julien came in.
“‘I have done,’ he said, in evident
pleasure. ’The business was over two hours
sooner than I expected!’
“Yes, my dear friend, without that log, I should
have been caught in the very act, and you know what
the consequences would have been!
“You may be sure that I took good care never
to be overtaken in a similar situation again; never,
never. Soon afterwards I saw that Julien was
giving me the ‘cold shoulder,’ as they
say. His wife was evidently undermining our friendship;
by degrees he got rid of me, and we have altogether
ceased to meet.
“I have not got married which ought not to surprise
you, I think.”
