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speaks to you； your father who has always loved you； and who only
desires your happiness。 Is it honourable for you to live like husband and
wife with a woman whom everybody has had？〃
〃What does it matter； father； if no one will any more？ What does it
matter； if this woman loves me； if her whole life is changed through the
love which she has for me and the love which I have for her？ What does it
matter； if she has become a different woman？〃
〃Do you think； then； sir； that the mission of a man of honour is to go
about converting lost women？ Do you think that God has given such a
grotesque aim to life； and that the heart should have any room for
enthusiasm of that kind？ What will be the end of this marvellous cure； and
what will you think of what you are saying to…day by the time you are
forty？ You will laugh at this love of yours； if you can still laugh； and if it
has not left too serious a trace in your past。 What would you be now if
your father had had your ideas and had given up his life to every impulse
of this kind； instead of rooting himself firmly in convictions of honour and
steadfastness？ Think it over； Armand； and do not talk any more such
absurdities。 Come； leave this woman； your father entreats you。〃
I answered nothing。
〃Armand；〃 continued my father； 〃in the name of your sainted mother；
abandon this life； which you will forget more easily than you think。 You
are tied to it by an impossible theory。 You are twenty…four； think of the
future。 You can not always love this woman； who also can not always love
you。 You both exaggerate your love。 You put an end to your whole career。
One step further； and you will no longer be able to leave the path you have
chosen； and you will suffer all your life for what you have done in your
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youth。 Leave Paris。 Come and stay for a month or two with your sister and
me。 Rest in our quiet family affection will soon heal you of this fever； for
it is nothing else。 Meanwhile； your mistress will console herself； she will
take another lover； and when you see what it is for which you have all but
broken with your father； and all but lost his love； you will tell me that I
have done well to come and seek you out； and you will thank me for it。
Come； you will go with me； Armand； will you not？〃 I felt that my father
would be right if it had been any other woman； but I was convinced that he
was wrong with regard to Marguerite。 Nevertheless； the tone in which he
said these last words was so kind； so appealing； that I dared not answer。
〃Well？〃 said he in a trembling voice。
〃Well； father； I can promise nothing；〃 I said at last； 〃what you ask of
me is beyond my power。 Believe me；〃 I continued； seeing him make an
impatient movement； 〃you exaggerate the effects of this liaison。
Marguerite is a different kind of a woman from what you think。 This love；
far from leading me astray； is capable； on the contrary； of setting me in the
right direction。 Love always makes a man better； no matter what woman
inspires it。 If you knew Marguerite； you would understand that I am in no
danger。 She is as noble as the noblest of women。 There is as much
disinterestedness in her as there is cupidity in others。〃
〃All of which does not prevent her from accepting the whole of your
fortune； for the sixty thousand francs which come to you from your
mother； and which you are giving her； are； understand me well； your
whole fortune。〃
My father had probably kept this peroration and this threat for the last
stroke。 I was firmer before these threats than before his entreaties。
〃Who told you that I was handing this sum to her？〃 I asked。
〃My solicitor。 Could an honest man carry out such a procedure without
warning me？ Well； it is to prevent you from ruining yourself for a
prostitute that I am now in Paris。 Your mother； when she died； left you
enough to live on respectably； and not to squander on your mistresses。〃
〃I swear to you； father； that Marguerite knew nothing of this transfer。〃
〃Why； then； do you make it？〃
〃Because Marguerite； the woman you calumniate； and whom you wish
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me to abandon； is sacrificing all that she possesses in order to live with
me。〃
〃And you accept this sacrifice？ What sort of a man are you； sir； to
allow Mlle。 Gautier to sacrifice anything for you？ Come； enough of this。
You will leave this woman。 Just now I begged you； now I command you。 I
will have no such scandalous doings in my family。 Pack up your things
and get ready to come with me。〃
〃Pardon me； father；〃 I said； 〃but I shall not come。〃
〃And why？〃
〃Because I am at an age when no one any longer obeys a command。〃
My father turned pale at my answer。
〃Very well； sir；〃 he said； 〃I know what remains to be done。〃
He rang and Joseph appeared。
〃Have my things taken to the Hotel de Paris；〃 he said to my servant。
And thereupon he went to his room and finished dressing。 When he
returned； I went up to him。
〃Promise me； father；〃 I said； 〃that you will do nothing to give
Marguerite pain？〃
My father stopped； looked at me disdainfully； and contented himself
with saying； 〃I believe you are mad。〃 After this he went out； shutting the
door violently after him。
I went downstairs； took a cab； and returned to Bougival。
Marguerite was waiting for me at the window。
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CHAPTER 21
〃At last you have come；〃 she said； throwing her arms round my neck。
〃But how pale you are！〃
I told her of the scene with my father。
〃My God！ I was afraid of it；〃 she said。 〃When Joseph came to tell you
of your father's arrival I trembled as if he had brought news of some
misfortune。 My poor friend； I am the cause of all your distress。 You will be
better off； perhaps； if you leave me and do not quarrel with your father on
my account。 He knows that you are sure to have a mistress； and he ought
to be thankful that it is I； since I love you and do not want more of you
than your position allows。 Did you tell him how we had arranged our
future？〃
〃Yes； that is what annoyed him the most； for he saw how much we
really love one another。〃
〃What are we to do； then？〃
〃Hold together； my good Marguerite； and let the storm pass over。〃
〃Will it pass？〃
〃It will have to。〃
〃But your father will not stop there。〃
〃What do you suppose he can do？〃
〃How do I know？ Everything that a father can do to make his son obey
him。 He will remind you of my past life； and will perhaps do me the
honour of inventing some new story； so that you may give me up。〃
〃You know that I love you。〃
〃Yes； but what I know； too； is that； sooner or later； you will have to
obey your father； and perhaps you will end by believing him。〃
〃No； Marguerite。 It is I who will make him believe me。 Some of his
friends have been telling him tales which have made him angry； but he is
good and just； he will change his first impression； and then； after all； what
does it matter to me？〃
〃Do not say that； Armand。 I would rather anything should happen than
that you should quarrel with your family； wait till after to…day； and to…
morrow go back to Paris。 Your father； too； will have thought it over on his
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side； and perhaps you will both come to a better understanding。 Do not go
against his principles； pretend to make some concessions to what he wants；
seem not to care so very much about me； and he will let things remain as
they are。 Hope； my friend； and be sure of one thing； that whatever happens；
Marguerite will always be yours。〃
〃You swear it？〃
〃Do I need to swear it？〃
How sweet it is to let oneself be persuaded by the voice that one loves！