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time I raised my eyes to the box I had quitted so abruptly； and that the
faces of fresh visitors succeeded one another all the time。
I was far from having given up thinking about Marguerite。 Another
feeling had taken possession of me。 It seemed to me that I had her insult
and my absurdity to wipe out； I said to myself that if I spent every penny I
had； I would win her and win my right to the place I had abandoned so
quickly。
Before the performance was over Marguerite and her friend left the
box。 I rose from my seat。
〃Are you going？〃 said Ernest。
〃Yes。〃
〃Why？〃
At that moment he saw that the box was empty。
〃Go； go；〃 he said； 〃and good luck； or rather better luck。〃
I went out。
I heard the rustle of dresses； the sound of voices； on the staircase。 I
stood aside； and； without being seen； saw the two women pass me；
accompanied by two young men。 At the entrance to the theatre they were
met by a footman。
〃Tell the coachman to wait at the door of the Cafe' Anglais；〃 said
Marguerite。 〃We will walk there。〃
A few minutes afterward I saw Marguerite from the street at a window
of one of the large rooms of the restaurant； pulling the camellias of her
bouquet to pieces； one by one。 One of the two men was leaning over her
shoulder and whispering in her ear。 I took up my position at the Maison…
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d'or； in one of the first…floor rooms； and did not lose sight of the window
for an instant。 At one in the morning Marguerite got into her carriage with
her three friends。 I took a cab and followed them。 The carriage stopped at
No。 9； Rue d'Antin。 Marguerite got out and went in alone。 It was no doubt
a mere chance； but the chance filled me with delight。
From that time forward； I often met Marguerite at the theatre or in the
Champs…Elysees。 Always there was the same gaiety in her； the same
emotion in me。
At last a fortnight passed without my meeting her。 I met Gaston and
asked after her。
〃Poor girl； she is very ill；〃 he answered。
〃What is the matter？〃
〃She is consumptive； and the sort of life she leads isn't exactly the
thing to cure her。 She has taken to her bed； she is dying。〃
The heart is a strange thing； I was almost glad at hearing it。
Every day I went to ask after her； without leaving my name or my card。
I heard she was convalescent and had gone to Bagneres。
Time went by； the impression； if not the memory； faded gradually from
my mind。 I travelled； love affairs； habits； work； took the place of other
thoughts； and when I recalled this adventure I looked upon it as one of
those passions which one has when one is very young； and laughs at soon
afterward。
For the rest； it was no credit to me to have got the better of this
recollection； for I had completely lost sight of Marguerite； and； as I told
you； when she passed me in the corridor of the Varietes； I did not
recognise her。 She was veiled； it is true； but； veiled though she might have
been two years earlier； I should not have needed to see her in order to
recognise her： I should have known her intuitively。 All the same； my heart
began to beat when I knew that it was she； and the two years that had
passed since I saw her； and what had seemed to be the results of that
separation； vanished in smoke at the mere touch of her dress。
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CHAPTER 8
However （continued Armand after a pause）； while I knew myself to be
still in love with her； I felt more sure of myself； and part of my desire to
speak to Marguerite again was a wish to make her see that I was stronger
than she。
How many ways does the heart take； how many reasons does it invent
for itself； in order to arrive at what it wants！
I could not remain in the corridor； and I returned to my place in the
stalls； looking hastily around to see what box she was in。 She was in a
ground…floor box； quite alone。 She had changed； as I have told you； and no
longer wore an indifferent smile on her lips。 She had suffered； she was still
suffering。 Though it was April； she was still wearing a winter costume； all
wrapped up in furs。
I gazed at her so fixedly that my eyes attracted hers。 She looked at me
for a few seconds； put up her opera…glass to see me better； and seemed to
think she recognised me； without being quite sure who I was； for when she
put down her glasses； a smile； that charming； feminine salutation； flitted
across her lips； as if to answer the bow which she seemed to expect； but I
did not respond； so as to have an advantage over her； as if I had forgotten；
while she remembered。 Supposing herself mistaken；； she looked away。
The curtain went up。 I have often seen Marguerite at the theatre。 I
never saw her pay the slightest attention to what was being acted。 As for
me； the performance interested me equally little； and I paid no attention to
anything but her； though doing my utmost to keep her from noticing it。
Presently I saw her glancing across at the person who was in the
opposite box； on looking； I saw a woman with whom I was quite familiar。
She had once been a kept woman； and had tried to go on the stage； had
failed； and； relying on her acquaintance with fashionable people in Paris；
had gone into business and taken a milliner's shop。 I saw in her a means of
meeting with Marguerite； and profited by a moment in which she looked
my way to wave my hand to her。 As I expected； she beckoned to me to
come to her box。
Prudence Duvernoy （that was the milliner's auspicious name） was one
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of those fat women of forty with whom one requires very little diplomacy
to make them understand what one wants to know； especially when what
one wants to know is as simple as what I had to ask of her。
I took advantage of a moment when she was smiling across at
Marguerite to ask her； 〃Whom are you looking at？〃
〃Marguerite Gautier。〃
〃You know her？〃
〃Yes； I am her milliner； and she is a neighbour of mine。〃
〃Do you live in the Rue d'Antin？〃
〃No。 7。 The window of her dressing…room looks on to the window of
mine。〃
〃They say she is a charming girl。〃
〃Don't you know her？〃
〃No； but I should like to。〃
〃Shall I ask her to come over to our box？〃
〃No； I would rather for you to introduce me to her。〃
〃At her own house？〃
〃Yes。
〃That is more difficult。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because she is under the protection of a jealous old duke。〃
〃'Protection' is charming。〃
〃Yes； protection；〃 replied Prudence。 〃Poor old man； he would be
greatly embarrassed to offer her anything else。〃
Prudence then told me how Marguerite had made the acquaintance of
the duke at Bagneres。
〃That； then；〃 I continued； 〃is why she is alone here？〃
〃Precisely。〃
〃But who will see her home？〃
〃He will。〃
〃He will come for her？〃
〃In a moment。〃
〃And you； who is seeing you home？〃
〃No one。〃
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〃May I offer myself？〃
〃But you are with a friend； are you not？〃
〃May we offer； then？〃
〃Who is your friend？〃
〃A charming fellow； very amusing。 He will be delighted to make your
acquaintance。〃
〃Well； all right； we will go after this piece is over； for I know the last
piece。〃
〃With pleasure； I will go and tell my friend。〃
〃Go； then。 Ah；〃 added Prudence； as I was going； 〃there is the duke just
coming into Marguerite's box。〃
I looked at him。 A man of about seventy had sat down behind her； and
was giving her a bag of sweets； into which she dipped at once； smiling。
Then she held it out toward Prudence； with a gesture which seemed to say；
〃Will you have some？〃
〃No；〃 signalled Prudence。 Marguerite drew back the bag； and；
turning； began to talk with the duke。