unnaturally calm。
〃That would be an hour ago … rather more。 And she has not yet
arrived？〃
His eyes sought M。 Binet's。 M。 Binet's eyes eluded his glance。
Again it was Leandre who answered him。
〃Not yet。〃
〃Ah！〃 Andre…Louis sat down； and poured himself wine。 There was
an oppressive silence in the room。 Leandre watched him expectantly；
Columbine commiseratingly。 Even M。 Binet appeared to be waiting
for a cue from Scaramouche。 But Scaramouche disappointed him。
〃Have you left me anything to eat？〃 he asked。
Platters were pushed towards him。 He helped himself calmly to food；
and ate in silence； apparently with a good appetite。 M。 Binet sat
down； poured himself wine； and drank。 Presently he attempted to
make conversation with one and another。 He was answered curtly； in
monosyllables。 M。 Binet did not appear to be in favour with his
troupe that night。
At long length came a rumble of wheels below and a rattle of halting
hooves。 Then voices； the high； trilling laugh of Climene floating
upwards。 Andre…Louis went on eating unconcernedly。
〃What an actor！〃 said Harlequin under his breath to Polichinelle；
and Polichinelle nodded gloomily。
She came in； a leading lady taking the stage； head high； chin thrust
forward； eyes dancing with laughter； she expressed triumph and
arrogance。 Her cheeks were flushed； and there was some disorder in
the mass of nut…brown hair that crowned her head。 In her left hand
she carried an enormous bouquet of white camellias。 On its middle
finger a diamond of great price drew almost at once by its effulgence
the eyes of all。
Her father sprang to meet her with an unusual display of paternal
tenderness。 〃At last； my child！〃
He conducted her to the table。 She sank into a chair； a little
wearily； a little nervelessly； but the smile did not leave her face；
not even when she glanced across at Scaramouche。 It was only
Leandre； observing her closely； with hungry； scowling stare； who
detected something as of fear in the hazel eyes momentarily seen
between the fluttering of her lids。
Andre…Louis； however； still went on eating stolidly； without so
much as a look in her direction。 Gradually the company came to
realize that just as surely as a scene was brooding； just so
surely would there be no scene as long as they remained。 It was
Polichinelle； at last； who gave the signal by rising and withdrawing；
and within two minutes none remained in the room but M。 Binet； his
daughter； and Andre…Louis。 And then； at last； Andre…Louis set down
knife and fork； washed his throat with a draught of Burgundy； and
sat back in his chair to consider Climene。
〃I trust；〃 said he； 〃that you had a pleasant ride； mademoiselle。〃
〃Most pleasant； monsieur。 Impudently she strove to emulate his
coolness； but did not completely succeed。
〃And not unprofitable； if I may judge that jewel at this distance。
It should be worth at least a couple of hundred louis； and that
is a formidable sum even to so wealthy a nobleman as M。 de La Tour
d'Azyr。 Would it be impertinent in one who has had some notion
of becoming your husband； to ask you； mademoiselle； what you have
given him in return？〃
M。 Binet uttered a gross laugh； a queer mixture of cynicism and
contempt。
〃I have given nothing；〃 said Climene； indignantly。
〃Ah！ Then the jewel is in the nature of a payment in advance。〃
〃My God； man； you're not decent！〃 M。 Binet protested。
〃Decent？〃 Andre…Louis' smouldering eyes turned to discharge upon
M。 Binet such a fulmination of contempt that the old scoundrel
shifted uncomfortably in his chair。 〃Did you mention decency；
Binet？ Almost you make me lose my temper； which is a thing that
I detest above all others！〃 Slowly his glance returned to Climene；
who sat with elbows on the table； her chin cupped in her palms；
regarding him with something between scorn and defiance。
〃Mademoiselle；〃 he said； slowly； 〃I desire you purely in your own
interests to consider whither you are going。〃
〃I am well able to consider it for myself； and to decide without
advice from you； monsieur。〃
〃And now you've got your answer；〃 chuckled Binet。 〃I hope you
like it。〃
Andre…Louis had paled a little； there was incredulity in his great
sombre eyes as they continued steadily to regard her。 Of M。 Binet
he took no notice。
〃Surely； mademoiselle； you cannot mean that willingly； with open
eyes and a full understanding of what you do； you would exchange
an honourable wifehood for。。。 for the thing that such men as M。 de
La Tour d'Azyr may have in store for you？〃
M。 Binet made a wide gesture； and swung to his daughter。 〃You hear
him； the mealy…mouthed prude！ Perhaps you'll believe at last that
marriage with him would be the ruin of you。 He would always be
there the inconvenient husband … to mar your every chance； my girl。〃
She tossed her lovely head in agreement with her father 〃I begin to
find him tiresome with his silly jealousies；〃 she confessed。 〃As a
husband I am afraid he would be impossible。〃
Andre…Louis felt a constriction of the heart。 But … always the
actor … he showed nothing of it。 He laughed a little； not very
pleasantly； and rose。
〃I bow to your choice； mademoiselle。 I pray that you may not
regret it〃
〃Regret it？〃 cried M。 Binet。 He was laughing； relieved to see his
daughter at last rid of this suitor of whom he had never approved；
if we except those few hours when he really believed him to be an
eccentric of distinction。 〃And what shall she regret？ That she
accepted the protection of a nobleman so powerful and wealthy that
as a mere trinket he gives her a jewel worth as much as an actress
earns in a year at the Comedie Francaise？〃 He got up； and advanced
towards Andre…Louis。 His mood became conciliatory。 〃Come； come；
my friend； no rancour now。 What the devil！ You wouldn't stand in
the girl's way？ You can't really blame her for making this choice？
Have you thought what it means to her？ Have you thought that under
the protection of such a gentleman there are no heights which she
may not reach？ Don't you see the wonderful luck of it？ Surely； if
you're fond of her； particularly being of a jealous temperament；
you wouldn't wish it otherwise？〃
Andre…Louis looked at him in silence for a long moment。 Then he
laughed again。 〃Oh； you are fantastic；〃 he said。 〃You are not real。〃
He turned on his heel and strode to the door。
The action； and more the contempt of his look； laugh； and words stung
M。 Binet to passion； drove out the conciliatoriness of his mood。
〃Fantastic； are we？〃 he cried； turning to follow the departing
Scaramouche with his little eyes that now were inexpressibly evil。
〃Fantastic that we should prefer the powerful protection of this
great nobleman to marriage with beggarly； nameless bastard。 Oh； we
are fantastic！〃
Andre…Louis turned； his hand upon the door…handle。 No；〃 he said；
〃I was mistaken。 You are not fantastic。 You are just vile … both
of you。〃 And he went out。
CHAPTER X
CONTRITION
Mlle。 de Kercadiou walked with her aunt in the bright morning
sunshine of a Sunday in March on the broad terrace of the Chateau
de Sautron。
For one of her natural sweetness of disposition she had been oddly
irritable of late； manifesting signs of a cynical worldliness； which
convinced Mme。 de Sautron more than ever that her brother Quintin
had scandalously conducted the child's education。 She appeared to
be instructed in all the things of which a girl is better ignorant；
and ignorant of all the things that a girl should know。 That at
least was the point of view of Mme。 de Sautron。
〃Tell me； madame；〃 quoth Aline； 〃are all men beasts？〃 Unlike her
brother； Madame la Comtesse was tall and majestically built。 In
the days before her marriage with M。 de Sautron； ill…natured folk
described her as the only man in the family。 She looked down now
from her noble height upon her little niece with startled eyes。
〃Really； Aline； you have a trick of asking the most disconcerting
and improper questions。〃
〃Perhaps it is because I find life disconcerting and improper。
〃Life？ A young girl should not discuss life。〃
〃Why not； since I am alive？ You do not suggest that it is an
impropriety to be alive？〃
〃It is an impropriety for a young unmarried girl to seek to know
too much about life。 As for your absurd question about men； when
I remind you that man is the noblest work of God； perhaps you will
consider yourself answered。〃
Mme。 de Sautron did not invite a pursuance of the subject。 But Mlle。
de Kercadiou's outrageous rearing had made her headstrong。
〃That being so；〃 said she； will you tell me why they find such an
overwhelming attraction in the immodest of our sex？〃
Madame stood still and raised shocked hands。 Then she looked down
her handsome； high…bridged nose。
〃Sometimes … often； in fact； my dear Aline … you pass all
understanding。 I shall write to Quintin that the sooner you are
married the better it will be for all。〃
〃Uncle Quintin has left that matter to my own deciding；〃 Aline
reminded her。
〃That；〃 said madame with complete conviction； 〃is the last and most
outrageous of his errors。 Who ever heard of a girl being left to
decide the matter of her own marriage？ It is。。。 indelicate almost
to expose her to thoughts of such things。〃 Mme。 de Sautron
shuddered。 〃Quintin is a boor。 His conduct is unheard of。 That
M。 de La Tour d'Azyr should parade himself before you so that you
may make up your mind whether he is the proper man for you！〃 Again
she shuddered。 〃It is of a grossness； of。。。 of a prurience almost。。。
Mon Dieu！ When I married your uncle； all this was arranged between
our parents。 I first saw him when he came to sign the contract。
I should have died of shame had it been otherwise。 And that is how
these affairs should be conducted。〃
〃You are no doubt right； madame。 But since that is not how my own
case is being conducted； you will forgive me if I deal with it apart
from others。 M。 de La Tour d'Azyr desires to marry me。 He has been
permitted to pay his court。 I should be glad to have him informed
that he may cease to do so。〃
Mme。 de Sautron stood still； petrified by amazement。 Her long f