第26章

dilectionsoftheEnglishmiddle-classtodealwith。AttheendofthegallerywasaMeissonierofwhichhewasratherashamed——

Meissonierwassosteadilygoingdown。MadameLamottestoppedbeforeit。”Meissonier！Ah！Whatajewel！”Soamestookadvantageofthatmoment。VerygentlytouchingAnnette’sarm，hesaid：”Howdoyoulikemyplace，Annette?”

Shedidnotshrink，didnotrespond；shelookedathimfull，lookeddown，andmurmured：”Whowouldnotlikeit?Itissobeautiful！””Perhapssomeday”Soamessaid，andstopped。

Soprettyshewas，soself-possessed——shefrightenedhim。Thosecornflower-blueeyes，theturnofthatcreamyneck，herdelicatecurves——shewasastandingtemptationtoindiscretion！No！No！

Onemustbesureofone’sground——muchsurer！’IfIholdoff，’hethought，’itwilltantaliseher。’AndhecrossedovertoMadameLamotte，whowasstillinfrontoftheMeissonier。”Yes，that’squiteagoodexampleofhislaterwork。Youmustcomeagain，Madame，andseethemlightedup。Youmustbothcomeandspendanight。”

Enchanted，woulditnotbebeautifultoseethemlighted?Bymoonlighttoo，therivermustberavishing！

Annettemurmured：”Thouartsentimental，Maman！”

Sentimental！Thatblack-robed，comely，substantialFrenchwomanoftheworld！Andsuddenlyhewascertainashecouldbethattherewasnosentimentineitherofthem。Allthebetter。Ofwhatusesentiment?Andyet……！

Hedrovetothestationwiththem，andsawthemintothetrain。TothetightenedpressureofhishanditseemedthatAnnette’sfingersrespondedjustalittle；herfacesmiledathimthroughthedark。

Hewentbacktothecarriage，brooding。”Goonhome，Jordan，”hesaidtothecoachman；”I’llwalk。”Andhestrodeoutintothedarkeninglanes，cautionandthedesireofpossessionplayingsee-sawwithinhim。’Bonsoir，monsieur！’Howsoftlyshehadsaidit。Toknowwhatwasinhermind！TheFrench——theywerelikecats——onecouldtellnothing！But——howpretty！Whataperfectyoungthingtoholdinone’sarms！Whatamotherforhisheir！

Andhethought，withasmile，ofhisfamilyandtheirsurpriseataFrenchwife，andtheircuriosity，andofthewayhewouldplaywithitandbuffetitconfoundthem！

The，poplarssighedinthedarkness；anowlhooted。Shadowsdeepenedinthewater。’Iwillandmustbefree，’hethought。’I

won’thangaboutanylonger。I’llgoandseeIrene。Ifyouwantthingsdone，dothemyourself。Imustliveagain——liveandmoveandhavemybeing。’Andinechotothatqueerbiblicalitychurch-

bellschimedthecalltoeveningprayer。

CHAPTERXI

ANDVISITSTHEPAST

OnaTuesdayeveningafte

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