Couragewas the fundamental quality in her
character. Ah, if Julien had servedat Jarnac or at Moncontour, I should no longer be
in doubt. What a difference, great God, from his lastvisit, of twenty-four hours, to
Verrieres!
It is clear, they wish to ruin me, or to make a
fool of me, at least. Iwas fooling them, if they are fooling me. More elegant
phrases, he thought; but he turned pale as he read it.
That word settles everything, cried Julien,
springing to hisfeet.
Everything is known beforehand, even what a man is
to saywhen he falls. But, if I refuse, I must despise myself ever afterwards. She
thought she had heard a windowbeing opened. The other two are in the post, and are
going the same way as thefirst.
He spoke again of the people he suspected and of
theprecautions he had contrived. There was nothing tender inhis sentiments at this
first moment. How worthy this man is of all my love, she thought.
He looked up at the window ofMademoiselle de La
Moles room. This piece of reasoning left him more cold and calculating thanhe had
ever been. At thattime, on the night after she had written one of these
letters,Mathilde was unable to sleep.
She thought she had heard a windowbeing
opened.
He was anunhappy man at war with the whole of
society.
Is there any reason why I should lie to
her?
Four hundred drawing-rooms would echo with her
disgrace nextday, and with what rejoicing!
I may be shot point-blank by a servant, but that
isthe least danger; I may forfeit my honour.
The dayof battle was almost the day of least
perplexity. What amania for writing, he said to himself with a laugh, when it is
soeasy for us to talk!
The enemy makes a false move, now I am goingto
bring coldness and virtue into play.
One of Madame de La Moles maids wasgiving a party,
the servants were merrily imbibing punch.
Such coolness, such sagacity in her precautions
make itplain to me that I am not triumphing over M.
Perhaps, too, he has only the outward appearance of
a superiorperson.
Her reason felt a horror of the signal act offolly
which she had just committed.
What a moral lesson for arash young
woman!
Worse,still, perhaps, he felt no love for her!
Which of themhave been chosen for tonights expedition?
The vault formed by the limes, which wereadmirably
pleached, intercepted the view.
Julien had no reverence for nobility of blood, she
understood. The vault formed by the limes, which wereadmirably pleached, intercepted
the view.