"Thanks, darling."
She rubbed her cheek slowly against his breast with a regular and
coaxing movement, and one of her long black hairs caught in his
waistcoat. She noticed it, and a wild idea crossed her mind, one of
those superstitious notions which are often the whole of a woman's
reason. She began to twist this hair gently round a button. Then she
fastened another hair to the next button, and a third to the next. One
to every button. He would tear them out of her head presently when he
rose, and hurt her. What happiness! And he would carry away something of
her without knowing it; he would carry away a tiny lock of her hair
which he had never yet asked for. It was a tie by which she attached him
to her, a secret, invisible bond, a talisman she left with him. Without
willing it he would think of her, dream of her, and perhaps love her a
little more the next day.
He said, all at once, "I must leave you, because I am expected at the
Chamber at the close of the sitting. I cannot miss attending to-day."
She sighed, "Already!" and then added, resignedly, "Go, dear, but you
will come to dinner to-morrow."
And suddenly she drew aside. There was a short and sharp pain in her
head, as though needles had been stuck into the skin. Her heart
throbbed; she was pleased to have suffered a little by him. "Good-bye,"
said she.
He took her in his arms with a compassionate smile, and coldly kissed
her eyes. But she, maddened by this contact, again murmured, "Already!"
while her suppliant glance indicated the bedroom, the door of which was
open.
He stepped away from her, and said in a hurried tone, "I must be off; I
shall be late."
Then she held out her lips, which he barely brushed with his, and having
handed her her parasol, which she was forgetting, he continued, "Come,
come, we must be quick, it is past three o'clock."
She went out before him, saying, "To-morrow, at seven," and he repeated,
"To-morrow, at seven."
They separated, she turning to the right and he to the left. Du Roy
walked as far as the outer boulevard. Then he slowly strolled back along
the Boulevard Malesherbes. Passing a pastry cook's, he noticed some
_marrons glaces_ in a glass jar, and thought, "I will take in a pound
for Clotilde."
He bought a bag of these sweetmeats, which she was passionately fond of,
and at four o'clock returned to wait for his young mistress. She was a
little late, because her husband had come home for a week, and said,
"Can you come and dine with us to-morrow? He will be so pleased to see
you."
"No, I dine with the governor. We have a heap of political and financial
matters to talk over."
She had taken off her bonnet, and was now laying aside her bodice, which
was too tight for her. He pointed out the bag on the mantel-shelf,
saying, "I have bought you some _marrons glaces_."