Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Part I - XI
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138 THE CONFESSION OF A FOOL
in which I found myself, I hesitated, and was on the point
of retracing my footsteps. A flash from her eyes, and my
hesitation was gone ;
paralysed by her self-command, I
gave in.
Everything in the drawing-room pointed to the breaking
up of the household. Underlinen, dresses, petticoats were
scattered all over the furniture. The writing-table was
littered with a pile of stockings, a short time ago the
delight of my eyes, to-day an abomination. She came and
went, counted and folded up, brazenly, shamelessly.
"Had I corrupted her in so short a time? " I asked
myself, gazing at this exhibition of a respectable woman’s
underclothing.
She examined one piece after another, and put on one
side everything which needed repairing ; she noticed that
on one garment the tapes were missing ; she laid it aside
with perfect unconcern.
I seemed to be present at an execution ; I felt sick with
misery, while she listened absent-mindedly to my futile
conversation about unimportant details. I was waiting
for the Baron, who had locked himself into the dining-
room and was writing letters.
At last the door opened ; I started apprehensively, but
it was only the little girl who came in, puzzled to know the
reason of all this upset. She ran up to me, accompanied
by her mother’s spaniel, and held up her forehead to be
kissed. I blushed. I felt angry, and turned to the
Baroness.
"You might at least have spared me this!
But she did not understand what I meant.
" Mamma is going away, darling, but she’ll soon be
back and bring you lots of toys."
The little dog begged for a caress—he, too !
A little later the Baron apj^eared.
He walked up to me, broken, crushed, and pressed my
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