第54章

'AT last！'she cried，throwing her arms around my neck.'You're back！You look so pale！'

Then I told her about the scene with my father.

'Oh my God！I was expecting something like this，'she said.'When Joseph came and told us your father had arrived，my heart stopped as though he'd brought bad news.Poor dear！And I'm to blame for all your troubles.Perhaps it would be better for you to leave me than quarrel with your father.Still，I never did him any harm.We live very quietly and we'll live more quietly still.Of course，he realizes that you must have a mistress，and he should be pleased it's me，because I love you and won't ask you for anything more than your circumstances warrant.Did you tell him what we've worked out for the future？'

'Yes，and that's what upset him most，because he took the fact that our minds were made up as a sure sign of our love for each other.'

'What do we do now？'

'Stay together，sweet Marguerite，and let the storm blow over.'

'And will it blow over？'

'Storms always do.'

'But your father won't leave it at that，will he？'

'What can he do？'

'How should I know？Everything a father can do to force his son to obey him.He'll remind you of my past life，and may even credit me with some new treachery invented for the purpose of persuading you to give me up.'

'You know how I love you.'

'Yes，but there's something else I know：sooner or later you'll have to obey your father，and in the end you may let yourself be convinced.'

'No，Marguerite，I'll do the convincing.He's furious because of the stories some of his friends have been putting about.But he's good and he's fair-minded，and he'll get over his first impressions.Anyway，even if he doesn't，it won't make any difference to me！'

'You mustn't say that，Armand.I'd rather anything than give people the idea that I've come between you and your family.Leave it for today，and return to Paris tomorrow.Your father will have thought things over and so will you，and perhaps you'll understand each other better.Don't offend his principles.Try to appear as though you're making some concessions to what he wants.Make it look as if you're not all that attached to me，and he'll leave matters as they are，Keep hoping，my dear，and be sure of one thing：whatever happens，your Marguerite will still be yours.'

'You swear it？'

'Do I need to？'

How sweet it is to let yourself be won round by a voice your love！Marguerite and I spent all day going over our plans as though we somehow knew we had to hurry them through.We were expecting something to happen at any minute but，happily，the day passed without further event.

The following morning，I set off at ten o'clock and reached the hotel around noon.

My father had already gone out.

I went to my apartment hoping that he might be there.No one had called.I went round to my solicitor's.There was no one there either！

I returned to the hotel and waited until six.Monsieur Duval did not return.

I set off back to Bougival.

I found Marguerite not waiting for me，as on the previous evening，but sitting by the fire which the season already required.

She was deep enough in her thoughts for me to come right up to her chair without her hearing me or turning round.When my lips touched her forehead，she started as though the kiss had woken her suddenly.

'You gave me a fright，'she said.'What did your father say？'

'I didn't see him.I can't make it out.I couldn't find him at his hotel nor in any of the places where he was likely to be.'

'Well，you'll have to try again tomorrow.'

'I've a good mind to wait for him to ask to see me.I think I've done everything that could be expected of me.'

'No，my dear，it's not enough.You must go and see your father again，and do it tomorrow.'

'Why tomorrow rather than any other day？'

'Because，'said Marguerite，who，I thought，flushed slightly at my question，'because then your determination will seem all the greater and consequently we shall be forgiven more quickly.'

For the remainder of that day，Marguerite seemed preoccupied，listless，downcast.I had to say everything twice to get an answer.She attributed her inattentiveness to the fears for the future which the events of the past two days had prompted.

I spent the night trying to reassure her，and she sent me off the next morning displaying a distinct uneasiness which I could not fathom.

As on the previous day，my father was out.But，before going，he had left me this letter：

'If you return to see me today，wait until four.If I'm not back by four，come back and dine with me tomorrow.I must speak with you.'

I waited until the appointed time.My father did not put in an appearance.So I left.

The evening before，I had found Marguerite downcast；now I found her feverish and agitated.When she saw me come in，she threw her arms around my neck，but she remained weeping in my arms for some time.

I questioned her about her sudden dejection which，as it worsened，alarmed me.She gave me no specific reason for it，and merely fell back on the excuses a woman falls back on when she does not want to give truthful answers.

When she was a little more herself again，I told her the outcome of my journey to town.I showed her my father's letter，and observed that some good might very well come of it.

When she saw the letter and heard my view of it，her tears began coming so fast that I called Nanine and，fearing some sort of nervous attack，we put her to bed.The poor girl wept without uttering a word，but she kept my hands clasped in hers and kissed them continually.

I asked Nanine if，during my absence，her mistress had received a letter or a visit which could account for the state she was in，but Nanine replied that no one had come and nothing had been delivered.

And yet something had been going on since the previous evening which was all the more worrying because Marguerite was hiding it from me.