pretty Madame Carre-Lamadon
glistened, and she grew pale, as if the officer were indeed in the act
of laying violent hands on her.

The men, who had been discussing the subject among themselves, drew
near. Loiseau, in a state of furious resentment, was for delivering up
"that miserable woman," bound hand and foot, into the enemy's power. But
the count, descended from three generations of ambassadors, and endowed,
moreover, with the lineaments of a diplomat, was in favor of more
tactful measures.

"We must persuade her," he said.

Then they laid their plans.

The women drew together; they lowered their voices, and the discussion
became general, each giving his or her opinion. But the conversation
was not in the least coarse. The ladies, in particular, were adepts at
delicate phrases and charming subtleties of expression to describe the
most improper things. A stranger would have understood none of their
allusions, so guarded was the language they employed. But, seeing
that the thin veneer of modesty with which every woman of the world
is furnished goes but a very little way below the surface, they began
rather to enjoy this unedifying episode, and at bottom were hugely
delighted --feeling themselves in their element, furthering the schemes
of lawless love with the gusto of a gourmand cook who prepares supper
for another.

Their gaiety returned of itself, so amusing at last did the whole
business seem to them. The count uttered several rather risky
witticisms, but so tactfully were they said that his audience could not
help smiling. Loiseau in turn made some considerably broader jokes,
but no one took offence; and the thought expressed with such brutal
directness by his wife was uppermost in the minds of all: "Since it's
the girl's trade, why should she refuse this man more than another?"
Dainty Madame Carre-Lamadon seemed to think even that in Boule de Suif's
place she would be less inclined to refuse him than another.

The blockade was as carefully arranged as if they were investing a
fortress. Each agreed on the role which he or she was to play, the
arguments to be used, the maneuvers to be executed. They decided on the
plan of campaign, the stratagems they were to employ, and the surprise
attacks which were to reduce this human citadel and force it to receive
the enemy within its walls.

But Cornudet remained apart from the rest, taking no share in the plot.

So absorbed was the attention of all that Boule