And when very soon afterward Anne
appeared, and announced in her stiffest, most impenetrable manner
that Madame la Comtesse desired two places, for herself and her
maid, in the hotel omnibus which went to the station at Eu, the
landlady remarked, "Indeed!" and there was a liberal interchange of
meaning glances in the kitchen.
At no price would Wilhelm remain at Ault. The countess, who liked
the place well enough, begged, entreated, and pouted in vain. He was
not to be persuaded. He protested that he knew himself too well to
think that he would be capable of keeping up the appearance of
reserve toward her which decency demanded. And he need not, she
declared; she considered herself free to do as she pleased, and. so
was he; their love did not interfere with their duty toward anybody,
and so it was immaterial if people found it out and talked about it.
Her utter disregard for the trammels of convention, her cool
contempt for the opinion of others, filled him with horror.
"No, no, I could not look one of them in the face again."
"But do you suppose that these people are any better? You surely
don't imagine that the man with the calves and his ravening wolf are
married?"
"How can you say such things!"
"Why, you big baby, one can see that at a glance.
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