第49章

“PerhapsitbelongstothepartyItookouttheotherday。Alotofjollyfolk，gentlemenandladies，withcakes，champagne，cornets——everythinginstyle!Therewasoneespecially，atallhandsomemanwithsmallmoustaches，whowasthatfunny!Andtheyallkeptsaying，’Nowtellussomething，Adolphe——Dolpe，’I

think。“

Sheshivered。

“Youareinpain？“askedLeon，comingclosertoher。

“Oh，it’snothing!Nodoubt，itisonlythenightair。“

“Andwhodoesn’twantforwomen，either，“softlyaddedthesailor，thinkinghewaspayingthestrangeracompliment。

Then，spittingonhishands，hetooktheoarsagain。

Yettheyhadtopart。Theadieuxweresad。HewastosendhisletterstoMereRollet，andshegavehimsuchpreciseinstructionsaboutadoubleenvelopethatheadmiredgreatlyheramorousastuteness。

“Soyoucanassuremeitisallright？“shesaidwithherlastkiss。

“Yes，certainly。“

“Butwhy，“hethoughtafterwardsashecamebackthroughthestreetsalone，“isshesoveryanxioustogetthispowerofattorney？“

ChapterFourLeonsoonputonanairofsuperioritybeforehiscomrades，avoidedtheircompany，andcompletelyneglectedhiswork。

Hewaitedforherletters；here-readthem；hewrotetoher。Hecalledhertomindwithallthestrengthofhisdesiresandofhismemories。Insteadoflesseningwithabsence，thislongingtoseeheragaingrew，sothatatlastonSaturdaymorningheescapedfromhisoffice。

When，fromthesummitofthehill，hesawinthevalleybelowthechurch-spirewithitstinflagswinginginthewind，hefeltthatdelightmingledwithtriumphantvanityandegoistictendernessthatmillionairesmustexperiencewhentheycomebacktotheirnativevillage。

Hewentramblingroundherhouse。Alightwasburninginthekitchen。Hewatchedforhershadowbehindthecurtains，butnothingappeared。

MereLefrancois，whenshesawhim，utteredmanyexclamations。Shethoughthe“hadgrownandwasthinner，“whileArtemise，onthecontrary，thoughthimstouteranddarker。

Hedinedinthelittleroomasofyore，butalone，withoutthetax-gatherer；forBinet，tiredofwaitingforthe“Hirondelle，“

haddefinitelyputforwardhismealonehour，andnowhedinedpunctuallyatfive，andyethedeclaredusuallythericketyoldconcern“waslate。“

Leon，however，madeuphismind，andknockedatthedoctor’sdoor。Madamewasinherroom，anddidnotcomedownforaquarterofanhour。Thedoctorseemeddelightedtoseehim，butheneverstirredoutthatevening，norallthenextday。

Hesawheraloneintheevening，verylate，behindthegardeninthelane；inthelane，asshehadtheotherone!Itwasastormynight，andtheytalkedunderanumbrellabylightningflashes。

Theirseparationwasbecomingintolerable。“Iwouldratherdie!“

saidEmma。Shewaswrithinginhisarms，weeping。“Ad