de
Tignonville," she added desperately, seeing that he was about to refuse,
"to remain here."
"Once!" he retorted, lashing himself into ignoble rage. "By the love I
once had! Say, rather, the love I have, Madame--for I am no
woman-weathercock to wed the winner, and hold or not hold, stay or go, as
he commands! You, it seems," he continued with a sneer, "have learned
the wife's lesson well! You would practise on me now, as you practised
on me the other night when you stood between him and me! I yielded then,
I spared him. And what did I get by it? Bonds and a prison! And what
shall I get now? The same! No, Madame," he continued bitterly,
addressing himself as much to the Carlats and the others as to his old
mistress. "I do not change! I loved! I love! I was going and I go! If
death lay beyond that door"--and he pointed to it--"and life at his will
were certain here, I would pass the threshold rather than take my life of
him!" And, dragging La Tribe with him, with a passionate gesture he
rushed by her, opened the door, and disappeared in the next room.
The Countess took one pace forward, as if she would have followed him, as
if she would have tried further persuasion. But as she moved a cry
rooted her to the spot. A rush of feet and the babel of many voices
filled the passage with a tide of sound, which drew rapidly nearer.
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