If this is not treachery, how foolishly she is
behaving for me!
Never had he found such an air of grandeur in her,
she wastruly beautiful and imposing.
Mathilde yielded,almost unconsciously, to the love
which she began to feel for him. In the evening she came to thedrawing-room for a
moment, but did not look at Julien. His sufferings were a source of keenenjoyment to
her.
Certainly they shall not reproach me with a second
lapse; I should dieof shame.
She had only oneidea, to catch Juliens eye, so as
to make her mother invite him tojoin them.
But it was not without a mortal anguish that he
deprived himself tosome extent of her company.
Julien, trembling with fear of a disclosure,
pleaded illness andmanaged to make himself believed. Which of themhave been chosen
for tonights expedition? He thought he could feel that his miserywas thereby
actually increased. This proved too much for her self-control.
Finally he took his stand in a dark corner of the
garden. What a moral lesson for arash young woman! He thought he could feel that his
miserywas thereby actually increased.
How worthy this man is of all my love, she
thought.
Mademoiselle de La Mole was saying toherself, in
the grip of the blackest despond.
You must pull up the ladder, said
Mathilde.
He climbed quietly, pistol in hand,astonished not
to find himself attacked.
Julien, trembling with fear of a disclosure,
pleaded illness andmanaged to make himself believed.
The Marquis appeared; Julien made haste to inform
him of hisdeparture. Gradually Mathilde began to talk to him with an intimate
confidence ofthe state of her heart. What a difference, great God, from his
lastvisit, of twenty-four hours, to Verrieres! They discussed how they should meet
again.
It wasenough to make one hate the thought of love.