“Madame,” Gaston exclaimed in a low voice, “my blunder you know, but you do not know how much I am to blame.  If you only knew what joy it was to——­”

“Ah! take care,” she said, holding up one finger with an air of mystery, as she put out her hand towards the bell.

The charming gesture, the gracious threat, no doubt called up some sad thought, some memory of the old happy time when she could be wholly charming and gentle without an afterthought; when the gladness of her heart justified every caprice, and put charm into every least movement.  The lines in her forehead gathered between her brows, and the expression of her face grew dark in the soft candle-light.  Then looking across at M. de Nueil gravely but not unkindly, she spoke like a woman who deeply feels the meaning of every word.

“This is all very ridiculous!  Once upon a time, monsieur, when thoughtless high spirits were my privilege, I should have laughed fearlessly over your visit with you.  But now my life is very much changed.  I cannot do as I like, I am obliged to think.  What brings you here?  Is it curiosity?  In that case I am paying dearly for a little fleeting pleasure.  Have you fallen passionately in love already with a woman whom you have never seen, a woman with whose name slander has, of course, been busy?  If so, your motive in making this visit is based on disrespect, on an error which accident brought into notoriety.”

She flung her book down scornfully upon the table, then, with a terrible look at Gaston, she went on:  “Because I once was weak, must it be supposed that I am always weak?  This is horrible, degrading.  Or have you come here to pity me?  You are very young to offer sympathy with heart troubles.  Understand this clearly, sir, that I would rather have scorn than pity.  I will not endure compassion from any one.”

There was a brief pause.

“Well, sir,” she continued (and the face that she turned to him was gentle and sad), “whatever motive induced this rash intrusion upon my solitude, it is very painful to me, you see.  You are too young to be totally without good feeling, so surely you will feel that this behavior of yours is improper.  I forgive you for it, and, as you see, I am speaking of it to you without bitterness.  You will not come here again, will you?  I am entreating when I might command.  If you come to see me again, neither you nor I can prevent the whole place from believing that you are my lover, and you would cause me great additional annoyance.  You do not mean to do that, I think.”

She said no more, but looked at him with a great dignity which abashed him.