He had
become fond of this new "sport," less from personal taste, however, than
from his desire to be one of the foremost in taking up a new fashion. And
a quarter of an hour before the time fixed for starting he was already in
his spacious "cabinet," arrayed in what he deemed an appropriate costume:
a jacket and breeches of greenish ribbed velvet, yellow shoes, and a
little leather hat. And he poked fun at Santerre when the latter
presented himself in town attire, a light gray suit of delicate effect.
Soon after Valentine had given birth to her daughter Andree, the novelist
had again become a constant frequenter of the house in the Avenue
d'Antin. He was intent on resuming the little intrigue that he had begun
there and felt confident of victory. Valentine, on her side, after a
period of terror followed by great relief, had set about making up for
lost time, throwing herself more wildly than ever into the vortex of
fashionable life. She had recovered her good looks and youthfulness, and
had never before experienced such a desire to divert herself, leaving her
children more and more to the care of servants, and going about, hither
and thither, as her fancy listed, particularly since her husband did the
same in his sudden fits of jealousy and brutality, which broke out every
now and again in the most imbecile fashion without the slightest cause.
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