"All right," said I. "It would seem then that you had written something

very compromising to that soldier, whom you have never met and whom you

don't know."

"It was a letter for the modiste," she replied with assumed indignation.

"Yes, and you no doubt wanted him to deliver it," I retorted in an

ironical strain.

This last bitter dart went home and set her beside herself. She assumed

a superb attitude.

"I shall not give you any explanation," she said. "Believe whatever you

please. Do whatever you choose. As for myself, I know what I have to do

now. Since I am spied upon and treated in this fashion I have had enough

of leading such a life--I prefer to put an end to it at once!"

"And how do you purpose putting an end to it?" I resumed. "It will

perhaps be necessary to consult me a little bit on that subject."

"But you are neither my husband nor my brother, my dear fellow," she

exclaimed in the most airy way imaginable, "and I don't suppose that you

are going to talk to me any more of those stupid Turkish rights. We are

in Paris and I know that I am free!"

"Well, where will your freedom take you?"

"Oh! don't worry yourself about me--I should not have any trouble to

secure a husband. Do you imagine, my dear fellow, that I should be

embarrassed to find a position?"

This characteristic word showed me that she was far more completely

initiated than I had suspected.

"And you expect," I retorted, "to obtain this position from that fine

nobleman, eh?"

These disdainful words exasperated her; she lost all self-restraint and

burnt her ships.

"That fine nobleman is a duke!" she exclaimed vehemently. "I will not

allow you to insult him. And since you dare to threaten me, I will tell

you that I love him and that he adores me, and that he offers to marry

me and promises me every bliss--"

In spite of my misfortune I could not help laughing at this fiery

indignant declaration to which Zouhra's Turkish accent imparted an

irresistibly comic effect. My gaiety brought her anger to a climax.

Frenzied, decided upon everything, she darted to a chiffonier, drew out

an illuminated card, upon which two doves were pecking one another, and

threw it at me with a queenly air, exclaiming: "There, my dear fellow you will see if I still have any need of you!"




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