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come back and shall not be coming back。〃
She was like a woman who is preoccupied with something； and
perhaps annoyed by an unwelcome guest。 I did not know what to do or say。
Marguerite went toward her bedroom； I remained where I was。
〃Come；〃 she said。
She took off her hat and her velvet cloak and threw them on the bed；
then let herself drop into a great armchair beside the fire； which she kept
till the very beginning of summer； and said to me as she fingered her
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watch…chain：
〃Well； what news have you got for me？〃
〃None； except that I ought not to have come to…night。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because you seem vexed； and no doubt I am boring you。〃
〃You are not boring me； only I am not well； I have been suffering all
day。 I could not sleep； and I have a frightful headache。〃
〃Shall I go away and let you go to bed？〃
〃Oh； you can stay。 If I want to go to bed I don't mind your being here。〃
At that moment there was a ring。
〃Who is coming now？〃 she said； with an impatient movement。
A few minutes after there was another ring。
〃Isn't there any one to go to the door？ I shall have to go。〃 She got up
and said to me； 〃Wait here。〃
She went through the rooms； and I heard her open the outer door。 I
listened。
The person whom she had admitted did not come farther than the
dining…room。 At the first word I recognised the voice of the young Comte
de N。
〃How are you this evening？〃 he said。
〃Not well；〃 replied Marguerite drily。
〃Am I disturbing you？〃
〃Perhaps。
〃How you receive me！ What have I done； my dear Marguerite？〃
〃My dear friend； you have done nothing。 I am ill； I must go to bed； so
you will be good enough to go。 It is sickening not to be able to return at
night without your making your appearance five minutes afterward。 What
is it you want？ For me to be your mistress？ Well； I have already told you a
hundred times； No； you simply worry me； and you might as well go
somewhere else。 I repeat to you to…day； for the last time； I don't want to
have anything to do with you； that's settled。 Good…bye。 Here's Nanine
coming in； she can light you to the door。 Good…night。〃
Without adding another word； or listening to what the young man
stammered out； Marguerite returned to the room and slammed the door。
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Nanine entered a moment after。
〃Now understand；〃 said Marguerite； 〃you are always to say to that
idiot that I am not in； or that I will not see him。 I am tired out with seeing
people who always want the same thing； who pay me for it； and then think
they are quit of me。 If those who are going to go in for our hateful
business only knew what it really was they would sooner be
chambermaids。 But no； vanity； the desire of having dresses and carriages
and diamonds carries us away； one believes what one hears； for here； as
elsewhere； there is such a thing as belief； and one uses up one's heart； one's
body； one's beauty； little by little； one is feared like a beast of prey；
scorned like a pariah； surrounded by people who always take more than
they give； and one fine day one dies like a dog in a ditch； after having
ruined others and ruined one's self。〃
〃Come； come； madame； be calm；〃 said Nanine； 〃your nerves are a bit
upset to…night。〃
〃This dress worries me；〃 continued Marguerite； unhooking her bodice；
〃give me a dressing…gown。 Well； and Prudence？〃
〃She has not come yet； but I will send her to you； madame； the
moment she comes。〃
〃There's one； now；〃 Marguerite went on； as she took off her dress and
put on a white dressing…gown； 〃there's one who knows very well how to
find me when she is in want of me； and yet she can't do me a service
decently。 She knows I am waiting for an answer。 She knows how anxious I
am； and I am sure she is going about on her own account； without giving a
thought to me。〃
〃Perhaps she had to wait。〃
〃Let us have some punch。〃
〃It will do you no good； madame；〃 said Nanine。
〃So much the better。 Bring some fruit； too； and a pate or a wing of
chicken； something or other； at once。 I am hungry。〃
Need I tell you the impression which this scene made upon me； or can
you not imagine it？
〃You are going to have supper with me；〃 she said to me； 〃meanwhile；
take a book。 I am going into my dressing…room for a moment。〃
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She lit the candles of a candelabra； opened a door at the foot of the bed；
and disappeared。
I began to think over this poor girl's life； and my love for her was
mingled with a great pity。 I walked to and fro in the room； thinking over
things； when Prudence entered。
〃Ah； you here？〃' she said； 〃where is Marguerite？〃
〃In her dressing…room。〃
〃I will wait。 By the way； do you know she thinks you charming？〃
〃No。〃
〃She hasn't told you？〃
〃Not at all。〃
〃How are you here？〃
〃I have come to pay her a visit。〃
〃At midnight？〃
〃Why not？〃
〃Farceur！〃
〃She has received me； as a matter of fact； very badly。〃
〃She will receive you better by and bye。〃
〃Do you think so？〃
〃I have some good news for her。〃
〃No harm in that。 So she has spoken to you about me？〃
〃Last night； or rather to…night； when you and your friend went。 By the
way； what is your friend called？ Gaston R。； his name is； isn't it？〃
〃Yes；〃 said I； not without smiling； as I thought of what Gaston had
confided to me； and saw that Prudence scarcely even knew his name。
〃He is quite nice； that fellow； what does he do？〃
〃He has twenty…five thousand francs a year。〃
〃Ah； indeed！ Well； to return to you。 Marguerite asked me all about you：
who you were； what you did； what mistresses you had had； in short；
everything that one could ask about a man of your age。 I told her all I
knew； and added that you were a charming young man。 That's all。〃
〃Thanks。 Now tell me what it was she wanted to say to you last night。〃
〃Nothing at all。