FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140  
141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   >>   >|  
rs; I went so far as to tell Brigitte that she ought to adopt her as a model, and that she was just the kind of woman to please me. Poor Madame Daniel discovered signs of melancholy in Brigitte's eyes. She was a strange creature, as good and sincere--when you could get finery out of her head--as she was stupid when absorbed in such frivolous affairs. On occasion she could be both good and stupid. One fine day, when they were walking together, she threw herself into Brigitte's arms, and told her that she had noticed I was beginning to pay court to her, and that I had made certain proposals to her, the meaning of which was not doubtful; but she knew that I was another's lover, and as for her, whatever might happen, she would die rather than destroy the happiness of a friend. Brigitte thanked her, and Madame Daniel, having set her conscience at ease, considered it no sin to render me desolate by languishing glances. In the evening, when she had gone, Brigitte, in a severe tone, told me what had happened; she begged me to spare her such affronts in the future. "Not that I attach any importance to such pleasantries," she said, "but if you have any love for me, it seems to me it is useless to inform a third party that there are times when you have not." "Is it possible," I replied with a smile, "that it is important? You see very well that I was only joking, and that I did it only to pass away the time." "Ah! my friend, my friend," said Brigitte, "it is a pity that you must seek pastimes." A few days later I proposed that we go to the prefecture to see Madame Daniel dance; she unwillingly consented. While she was arranging her toilette, I sat near the window and reproached her for losing her former cheerfulness. "What is the matter with you?" I asked. (I knew as well as she.) "Why that morose air that never leaves you? In truth, you make our life quite sad. I have known you when you were more joyous, more free and more open; I am not flattered by the thought that I am responsible for the change. But you have a cloistral disposition; you were born to live in a convent." It was Sunday; as we were driving down the road Brigitte ordered the carriage to stop in order to say good-evening to some friends, fresh and vigorous country girls, who were going to dance at Tilleuls. When they had gone on, Brigitte followed them with, longing eyes; her little rustic dance was very dear to her; she dried her eyes with her h
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140  
141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   158   159   160   161   162   163   164   165   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
Brigitte
 

Madame

 

Daniel

 

friend

 

stupid

 
evening
 
matter
 

cheerfulness

 
losing
 

window


reproached

 

toilette

 
arranging
 

important

 
joking
 

prefecture

 
unwillingly
 
consented
 

proposed

 

pastimes


friends

 

vigorous

 

country

 

ordered

 

carriage

 

rustic

 

longing

 

Tilleuls

 

driving

 

joyous


morose

 
leaves
 

flattered

 

convent

 

Sunday

 
disposition
 

cloistral

 
thought
 

responsible

 
change

affronts
 

walking

 
frivolous
 
affairs
 

occasion

 

proposals

 
meaning
 

noticed

 
beginning
 

absorbed