And I ask you
if it is at all proper for my wife to send you running about after him?
Besides, I hope that you are not going to bring him to her. What on earth
could we do with that little peasant, who may have every vice? Just
picture him coming between us. I tell you that she is mad, mad, mad!"
He had begun to walk angrily to and fro. All at once he stopped: "My dear
fellow, you will just oblige me by telling her that he is dead."
But he turned pale and recoiled. Constance stood on the threshold and had
heard him. For some time past she had been in the habit of stealthily
prowling around the offices, like one on the watch for something. For a
moment, at the sight of the embarrassment which both men displayed, she
remained silent. Then, without even addressing her husband, she asked:
"He is alive, is he not?"
Mathieu could but tell her the truth. He answered with a nod. Then
Beauchene, in despair, made a final effort: "Come, be reasonable, my
dear. As I was saying only just now, we don't even know what this
youngster's character is. You surely don't want to upset our life for the
mere pleasure of doing so?"
Standing there, lean and frigid, she gave him a harsh glance; then,
turning her back on him, she demanded the child's name, and the names of
the wheelwright and the locality.
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