When he kissed me I
felt nothing. I was icy cold, as if my heart were frozen. O God! O God!
what trouble to be sure, and how horrid and cruel it all is!"
Then, as her little boy, on seeing her weep, ran up and flung himself;
frightened and tearful, against her bosom, she wildly caught him in her
arms. "My poor little one! my poor little one! if only you don't suffer
by it; if only my sin doesn't fall on you! Ah! that would be a terrible
punishment. Really the best course is for folks to behave properly in
life if they don't want to have a lot of trouble afterwards!"
In the evening the sisters, having grown somewhat calmer, decided that
their best course would be to write to Mathieu. Norine remembered that he
had called on her a few years previously to ask if Alexandre had not been
to see her. He alone knew all the particulars of the business, and where
to obtain information. And, indeed, as soon as the sisters' letter
reached him Mathieu made haste to call on them in the Rue de la
Federation, for he was anxious with respect to the effect which any
scandal might have at the works, where Beauchene's position was becoming
worse every day.
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