hould he speak as if he were
her master? He would look like a fool, and besides, he really had no
right to do so.

He got in again and took his place.

During his absence she had hastily arranged her dress and hair, and was
now lying stretched out on the seat, radiant, and without showing any
emotion.

He turned to her, and said: "My dear Bertha, since this singular chance
has brought us together after a separation of six years--a quite
friendly separation--are we to continue to look upon each other as
irreconcilable enemies? We are shut up together, _tete-a-tete_, which is
so much the better or so much the worse. I am not going to get into
another carriage, so don't you think it is preferable to talk as friends
till the end of our journey?"

She answered quite calmly again:

"Just as you please."

Then he suddenly stopped, really not knowing what to say; but as he had
plenty of assurance, he sat down on the middle-seat, and said:

"Well, I see I must pay my court to you; so much the better. It is,
however, really a pleasure, for you are charming. You cannot imagine how
you have improved in the last six years. I do not know any woman who
could give me that delightful sensation which I experienced just now
when you emerged from your wraps. I could really have thought such a
change impossible...."

Without moving her head or looking at him, she said: "I cannot say the
same with regard to you; you have certainly deteriorated a great deal."

He got red and confused, and then, with a smile of resignation, he said:

"You are rather hard."

"Why?" was her reply. "I am only stating facts. I don't suppose you
intend to offer me your love? It must, therefore, be a matter of perfect
indifference to you what I think about you. But I see it is a painful
subject, so let us talk of something else. What have you been doing
since I last saw you?"

He felt rather out of countenance, and stammered:

"I? I have traveled, shot, and grown old, as you see. And you?"

She said, quite calmly: "I have taken care of appearances, as you
ordered me."

He was very near saying something brutal, but he checked himself, and
kissed his wife's hand:

"And I thank you," he said.

She was surprised. He was indeed cool and always master of himself.

He went on: "As you have acceded to my first request, shall we now talk
without any bitterness?"

She made a little movement of surprise.

"Bitterness? I don't feel any; you are a comp