use the lessons which he was
giving his new pupil, he emboldened himself one morning to pretend
that it would be impossible for him in future to come to the house
at mealtimes. He blushed as he gave utterance to this laboriously
constructed lie, which had given him so much trouble, and continued
apologetically:

"You mustn't be offended; the boy only has those hours free. I can
easily get something to eat, you know; and I will come and have a chat
with you in the evenings."

Beautiful Lisa maintained her icy reserve, and this increased Florent's
feeling of trouble. In order to have no cause for self-reproach she had
been unwilling to send him about his business, preferring to wait till
he should weary of the situation and go of his own accord. Now he was
going, and it was a good riddance; and she studiously refrained from
all show of kindliness for fear it might induce him to remain. Quenu,
however, showed some signs of emotion, and exclaimed: "Don't think of
putting yourself about; take your meals elsewhere by all means, if it
is more convenient. It isn't we who are turning you way; you'll at all
events dine with us sometimes on Sundays, eh?"

Florent hurried off. His heart was very heavy. When he had gone, the
beautiful Lisa did not venture to reproach her husband for his weakness
in giving that invitation for Sundays. She had conquered, and again
breathed freely amongst the light oak of her dining-room, where she
would have liked to burn some sugar to drive away the odour of perverse
leanness which seemed to linger about. Moreover, she continued to remain
on the defensive; and at the end of another week she felt more alarmed
than ever. She only occasionally saw Florent in the evenings, and
began to have all sorts of dreadful thoughts, imagining that her
brother-in-law was constructing some infernal machine upstairs in
Augustine's bedroom, or else making signals which would result in
barricades covering the whole neighbourhood. Gavard, who had become
gloomy, merely nodded or shook his head when she spoke to him, and left
his stall for days together in Marjolin's charge. The beautiful Lisa,
however, determined that she would get to the bottom of affairs. She
knew that Florent had obtained a day's leave, and intended to spend
it with Claude Lantier, at Madame Francois's, at Nanterre. As he would
start in the morning, and remain away till night, she conceived the idea
of inviting Gavard to dinner. He would be sure to