ed his lips he felt a
nervous inhibition, and, naturally, without profit, he withdrew.

"I detest you!" she exclaimed.

"Why?"

"I detest you!"

He wanted to cry out, "And I you!" He was exasperated, and would have
given all he owned to get her to dress and go home.

The fire was burning low, unflickering. Appeased, now, he sat up and
looked into the darkness. He would have liked to get up and find another
nightshirt, because the one he had on was tearing and getting in his
way. But Hyacinthe was lying on top of it--then he reflected that the
bed was deranged and the thought affected him, because he liked to be
snug in winter, and knowing himself incapable of respreading the covers,
he foresaw a cold night.

Once more, he was enlaced; the gripe of the woman's on his own was
renewed; rational, this time, he attended to her and crushed her with
mighty caresses. In a changed voice, lower, more guttural, she uttered
ignoble things and silly cries which gave him pain--"My dear!--oh,
hon!--oh I can't stand it!"--aroused nevertheless, he took this body
which creaked as it writhed, and he experienced the extraordinary
sensation of a spasmodic burning within a swaddle of ice-packs.

He finally jumped over her, out of bed, and lighted the candles. On the
dresser the cat sat motionless, considering Durtal and Mme. Chantelouve
alternately. Durtal saw an inexpressible mockery in those black eyes
and, irritated, chased the beast away.

He put some more wood on the fire, dressed, and started to leave the
room. Hyacinthe called him gently, in her usual voice. He approached the
bed. She threw her arms around his neck and hung there, kissing him
hungrily. Then sinking back and putting her arms under the cover, she
said, "The deed is done. Now will you love me any better?"

He did not have the heart to answer. Ah yes, his disillusion was
complete. The satiety following justified his lack of appetite
preceding. She revolted him, horrified him. Was it possible to have so
desired a woman, only to come to--that? He had idealized her in his
transports, he had dreamed in her eyes--he knew not what! He had wished
to exalt himself with her, to rise higher than the delirious ravenings
of the senses, to soar out of the world into joys supernal and
unexplored. And his dream had been shattered. He remained fettered to
earth. Was there no means of escaping out of one's self, out of earthly
limitations, and attaining an upper ether where the