o in the morning like neither noise nor broad
daylight--how little all that suits!

Monsieur--(suddenly changing his tone)--Did I say that I liked all that?
The morning sun? Never in autumn, my sweet dove, never. I awake, on the
contrary full of languor and poesy; I was like that in my very cradle. We
will prolong the night, and behind the drawn curtain, behind the closed
shutter, we will remain asleep without sleeping. Buried in silence and
shadow, delightfully stretched beneath your warm eider-down coverlets, we
will slowly enjoy the happiness of being together, and we will wish one
another good-morning only on the stroke of noon. You do not like noise,
dear. I will not say a word. Not a murmur to disturb your unfinished
dream and warn you that you are no longer sleeping; not a breath to
recall you to reality; not a movement to rustle the coverings. I will be
silent as a shade, motionless as a statue; and if I kiss you--for, after
all, I have my weaknesses--it will be done with a thousand precautions,
my lips will scarcely brush your sleeping shoulder; and if you quiver
with pleasure as you stretch out your arms, if your eye half uncloses at
the murmur of my kiss, if your lips smile at me, if I kiss you, it would
be because you would like me to, and I shall have nothing to reproach
myself with.

Madame--(her eyes half closed, leaning back in hey armchair, her head
bent with emotion, she places her hands before his mouth. In a low
voice)--Hush, hush! Don't say that, dear; not another word! If you knew
how wrong it was!

Monsieur--Wrong! What is there that is wrong? Is your heart of marble or
adamant, that you do not see that I love you, you naughty child? That I
hold out my arms to you, that I long to clasp you to my heart, and to
fall asleep in your hair? What is there more sacred in the world than to
love one's wife or love one's husband? (Midnight strikes.)

Madame--(she suddenly changes hey expression at the sound, throws her
arms round her husband, and hurriedly kisses him thrice)--You thought I
did not love you, eh, dear? Oh, yes! I love you. Great baby! not to see
that I was waiting the time.

Monsieur--What time, dear?

Madame--The time. It has struck twelve, see. (She blushes crimson.)
Friday is over. (She holds out her hand for him to kiss.)

Monsieur--Are you sure the clock is not five minutes fast, love?

CHAPTER XIX

A LITTLE CHAT

MADAME F-----MADAME H------

(These ladies are se