第42章

During the nights I did not spend in the rue d'Antin，I should not have slept if I had spent them alone in my apartment.Jealousy would have kept me awake and heated my thoughts and blood.On the other hand，gambling temporarily beguiled the fever which would otherwise have overrun my heart which was，thereby，diverted towards a passion fascinating enough to absorb me despite myself until the time came for me to go to my mistress.When that hour struck-and this was how I became aware of how violent my love was-then，whether I was winning or losing，I would abandon the table without compunction，feeling pity for those I left there who，unlike me，would not find happiness when they came to take their leave.

For most of them，gambling was a necessity；for me，it was a kind of antidote.

When I was cured of Marguerite，I would be cured of gambling.

And so，in the middle of it all，I was able to keep a fairly cool head.I lost only what I could afford，and won only what I could have afforded to lose.

Moreover，luck was on my side.I did not run up debts，and spent three times as much as before I started playing the tables.It was not easy to resist the allurements of a way of life which enabled me to cater for Marguerite's innumerable whims without feeling the pinch.For her part，she still loved me as much，and even more.

As I have told you I began at first by being allowed to stay only between midnight and six in the morning.Then I was allowed into her box at various theatres from time to time.Next，she came and dined with me occasionally.One morning，I did not leave until eight，and there was a day when I did not go until noon.

Pending her moral transformation，a physical transformation had come over Marguerite.I had undertaken to cure her，and the poor girl，guessing what I was about，did everything I told her as a way of showing her gratitude.Without too much trouble or persuasion，I managed to cut her off almost totally from her old habits.My doctor，whom I had arranged for her to meet，had told me that only rest and quiet could keep her in good health，and consequently，for the supper parties and late nights，I succeeded in substituting a healthy diet and regular sleep.Reluctantly at first，Marguerite took to her new life，the beneficial effects of which she could feel.And soon she began to spend odd evenings at home or，if the weather were fine，she would wrap up well in an Indian shawl，cover her face with a veil，and we would set off on foot，like a couple of children，to roam the evening away along the dusky avenues of the Champs-Elysees.She would return weary，take a light supper and retire to bed after playing a little music or reading a few pages，something which had never happened to her before.The coughing fits，which I had found heartrending whenever I heard her racked by them，had almost completely gone.

Within six weeks，there was no further mention of the Count who had been permanently sacrificed.There remained only the Duke to compel me to hide my affair with Marguerite，and even he had often been sent away in my presence on the pretext that Madame was asleep and had left orders that she was not to be disturbed.

As a direct result of the habit of seeing me-or rather the need to see me-which Marguerite had contracted，I abandoned gambling at the precise moment when an experienced gambler would also have given up.All in all，with what I had won，I found myself in possession of twelve thousand francs which seemed an inexhaustible capital to me.

The time of year had come round when I normally went off to join my father and my sister，and still I did not go.As a result，I received frequent letters from both of them asking me to come and stay with them.

To all their entreaties，I answered as best I could，repeating that I was well and that I was not short of money，two considerations which，I believed，would go some way to consoling my father for delaying the start of my annual visit.

Meantime，it came about one morning that Marguerite，who had been woken up by bright sunshine，leaped out of bed and asked me if I would like to take her out to the country for the day.

Prudence was sent for and the three of us set out，after Marguerite had left orders with Nanine to tell the Duke that she had wanted to make the most of the weather and had gone to the country with Madame Duvernoy.

Apart from the fact that the presence of la Duvernoy was necessary to set the old Duke's mind at rest，Prudence was the sort of woman who seems expressly cut out for country outings.With her unquenchable high spirits and insatiable appetite，she was quite incapable of allowing anyone she was with to be bored for an instant，and was more than likely to be an old hand at ordering the eggs，cherries，milk，sauted rabbit and all the usual ingredients of the traditional lunch for which the countryside around Paris is known.

All that remained was to decide where we should go.

Once again，it was Prudence who got us out of this difficulty.

'Is it the real country you want to go to？'she asked.

'Yes.'

'Well，let's go to Bougival，to the Point du Jour.It's run by a widow named Arnould.Armand，go and hire a barouche.'

An hour and half later we were in the establishment run by the widow Arnould.