United States or Uganda ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Flavie felt a sort of terror in the depths of the contentment which all women find in violent emotions; and she took that terror for the sort of fear which a new passion always excites; but for all that, she felt she was fascinated, and she walked along in absolute silence. "What are you thinking of?" asked Theodose, when they reached the middle of the passage.
"But, my dear Brigitte," interrupted Flavie, turning upon her at this impertinence, "you may dispense with reminding us in this harsh way of our poverty; for, after all, we have never asked you for anything, and we pay our rent punctually; and as for the 'dot, Monsieur Felix Phellion is quite ready to take Celeste with no more than a bank-messenger could carry in his bag."
While getting into bed, Theodose said to himself: "The wife is on my side; the husband can't endure me; they are now quarrelling; and I shall get the better of it, for she does what she likes with that man." The lawyer was mistaken in one thing: there was no dispute whatever, and Colleville was sleeping peacefully beside his dear little Flavie, while she was saying to herself:
"You have nothing to fear from Monsieur Colleville," said Flavie, smiling; "he leaves me mistress of my own actions." "Ah! here, indeed, is the woman I have dreamed of," cried the Provencal, with that ecstasy that inflames the soul only, and in tones that issue only from Southern lips.
I'll go and fetch my clarionet." He gave his empty coffee-cup to his wife, smiling to see her so friendly with la Peyrade. "What have you said and done to my husband?" asked Flavie, when Colleville had left them. "Must I tell you all our secrets?" "Ah! you don't love me," she replied, looking at him with the coquettish slyness of a woman who is not quite decided in her mind.
The poverty against which he had struggled so long never leads to affairs of gallantry, and since he had thrown off its harsh restraint, his mind being wholly given up to the anxious work of creating his future, the things of the heart had entered but slightly into his life; unless we must except the comedy he had played on Flavie.
"I will kill him!" "There's a fellow who is not content!" said a passing workman, and the jesting words calmed the incandescent madness to which Theodose was a prey. As he left Cerizet's the idea came to him to go to Flavie and tell her all. Southern natures are born thus strong until certain passions arise, and then collapsed.
Theodose did nothing rashly; like a wise musician, he had marked the place in his symphony where he intended to tap his drum. When he saw Colleville attempting to warn Thuillier against him, he fired his broadside, cleverly prepared during the three or four months in which he had been studying Flavie; he now succeeded with her as he had, earlier in the day, succeeded with Thuillier.
Without being an unkind mother, Flavie was very stern with her daughter. She remembered her own bringing-up, and swore within herself to make Celeste a virtuous woman. She took her to mass, and had her prepared for her first communion by a rector who has since become a bishop.
This gave rise to a vague report in the bureaus that she thought of securing some more powerful influence than that of Francois Keller, the famous orator, who had been one of her chief adorers, but who, so far, had failed to obtain a better place for her husband. Flavie had, about this time and it was one of her mistakes turned for help to des Lupeaulx.
Word Of The Day