Hector had cordially accepted the invitation.Bertha could not bear the idea of his spending the day in Laurence's company, and begged him not to go.She told him there were plenty of excuses to relieve him from his promise; for instance, he might urge that it would not be seemly for him to go when his friend lay dangerously ill.At first he positively refused to grant her prayer, but by her supplications and menaces she persuaded him, and she did not go downstairs until he had sworn that he would write to M.Courtois that very evening declining the invitation.He kept his word, but he was disgusted by her tyrannical behavior.He was tired of forever sacrificing his wishes and his liberty, so that he could plan nothing, say or promise nothing without consulting this jealous woman, who would scarcely let him wander out of her sight.The chain became heavier and heavier to bear, and he began to see that sooner or later it must be wrenched apart.He had never loved either Bertha or Jenny, or anyone, probably; but he now loved the mayor's daughter.Her dowry of a million had at first dazzled him, but little by little he had been subdued by Laurence's charms of mind and person.He, the dissipated rake, was seduced by such grave and naive innocence, such frankness and beauty; he would have married Laurence had she been poor - as Sauvresy married Bertha.
But he feared Bertha too much to brave her suddenly, and so he waited.The next day after the quarrel about Fontainebleau, he declared that he was indisposed, attributed it to the want of exercise, and took to the saddle for several hours every day afterward.But he did not go far; only to the mayor's.Bertha at first did not perceive anything suspicious in Tremorel's rides; it reassured her to see him go off on his horse.After some days, however, she thought she saw in him a certain feeling of satisfaction concealed under the semblance of fatigue.She began to have doubts, and these increased every time he went out; all sorts of conjectures worried her while he was away.Where did he go? Probably to see Laurence, whom she feared and detested.The suspicion soon became a certainty with her.One evening Hector appeared, carrying in his button-hole a flower which Laurence herself had put there, and which he had forgotten to take out.Bertha took it gently, examined it, smelt it, and, compelling herself to smile:
"Why," said she, "what a pretty flower!"
"So I thought," answered Hector, carelessly, "though I don't know what it is called.""Would it be bold to ask who gave it to you?""Not at all.It's a present from our good Plantat."All Orcival knew that M.Plantat, a monomaniac on flowers, never gave them away to anyone except Mme.Laurence.Hector's evasion was an unhappy one, and Bertha was not deceived.
"You promised me, Hector," said she, "not to see Laurence any more, and to give up this marriage."He tried to reply.
"Let me speak," she continued, "and explain yourself afterward.
You have broken your word - you are deceiving my confidence! But I tell you, you shall not marry her!" Then, without awaiting his reply, she overwhelmed him with reproaches.Why had he come here at all? She was happy in her home before she knew him.She did not love Sauvresy, it was true; but she esteemed him, and he was good to her.Ignorant of the happiness of true love, she did not desire it.But he had come, and she could not resist his fascination.And now, after having engaged her affection, he was going to desert her, to marry another! Tremorel listened to her, perfectly amazed at her audacity.What! She dared to pretend that it was he who had abused her innocence, when, on the contrary, he had sometimes been astonished at her persistency! Such was the depth of her corruption, as it seemed to him, that he wondered whether he were her first or her twentieth lover.And she had so led him on, and had so forcibly made him feel the intensity of her will, that he had been fain still to submit to this despotism.But he had now determined to resist on the first opportunity; and he resisted.
"Well, yes," said he, frankly, "I did deceive you; I have no fortune - this marriage will give me one; I shall get married." He went on to say that he loved Laurence less than ever, but that he coveted her money more and more every day."To prove this," he pursued, "if you will find me to-morrow a girl who has twelve hundred thousand francs instead of a million, I will marry her in preference to Mademoiselle Courtois."She had never suspected he had so much courage.She had so long moulded him like soft wax, and this unexpected conduct disconcerted her.She was indignant, but at the same time she felt that unhealthy satisfaction that some women feel, when they meet a master who subdues them; and she admired Tremorel more than ever before.
This time, he had taken a tone which conquered her; she despised him enough to think him quite capable of marrying for money.When he had done, she said:
"It's really so, then; you only care for the million of dowry?""I've sworn it to you a hundred times."
"Truly now, don't you love Laurence?"
"I have never loved her, and never shall." He thought that he would thus secure his peace until the wedding-day; once married, he cared not what would happen.What cared he for Sauvresy? Life is only a succession of broken friendships.What is a friend, after all?
One who can and ought to serve you.Ability consists in breaking with people, when they cease to be useful to you.
Bertha reflected.
"Hear me, Hector," said she at last."I cannot calmly resign myself to the sacrifice which you demand.Let me have but a few days, to accustom myself to this dreadful blow.You owe me as much - let Clement get well, first."He did not expect to see her so gentle and subdued; who would have looked for such concessions, so easily obtained? The idea of a snare did not occur to him.In his delight he betrayed how he rejoiced in his liberty, which ought to have undeceived Bertha; but she did not perceive it.He grasped her hand, and cried:
"Ah, you are very good - you really love me."
