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THE CONFESSION OF A FOOL 159
The habit of seeing these two people together was a
bar to any feeling of jealousy on my part, and the tactful
and cordial bearing of the Baron helped to reassure me
completely.
We dined together, we drank and played cards just as
in the old days.
On the following day we met in my room ; on a third
evening at Marie’s, who was now living in the house of an
old lady. We fell into our former habits, and Marie was
happy to see us together. It comforted her, and since
we had ourselves under perfect control nobody was
offended or aggrieved. The Baron looked upon us as
being secretly engaged, his love for Marie seemed to be
dead. Sometimes he even talked of his unhappy love-
affair, for Matilda was carefully watched by her father
and out of his reach. . . . Marie teased and comforted
him alternately, and he made no secret, now, of his true
feelings.
At parting their intimacy was more marked, but instead
of rousing my jealousy it merely excited my disgust.
One day Marie told me that she had been to see the
Baron, and stayed to have dinner Avith him ; she justified
her visit by saying that she had to talk to him on urgent
business in connection with her daughter’s estate which
the Baron inherited.
I objected to this want of taste ; in fact, I told lier that
her conduct was downright indecent. She burst out
laughing, teasingly reminded me of my former railings
against prejudice, and in the end I joined in her laughter.
It was ridiculous, it was unusual, but it was good form
to laugh at everything, and a splendid thing to see virtue
rewarded
.
After that she visited the Baron Avhenever she pleased,
and I believe he helped her to study her part.
Up to now we had had no quarrels, for any jealousy I
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