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THE CONFESSION OF A FOOL 195
looking forward to a gay little dinner, for I had eaten
nothing since my early breakfast. At last the cottage
among the fir-trees, close to the lake, came in sight. At
the same time I caught a glimpse of Marie and her friend,
in light summer dresses, stealing away to the bathing-
vans. I shouted to them with all the power of my lungs.
They could not help hearing me, for they were well within
earshot. But they only hastened their footsteps, as if
they were running away from me, and disappeared into a
bathing van. What did it mean ?
The maid appeared as soon as she heard my footsteps
in the house ; she looked uneasy, afraid.
" Where are the ladies?
"
"They have gone to bathe, sir."
" When will dinner be ready? "
"Not before four o’clock, sir. The ladies have only
just got up, and I have been busy helping the young lady
to dress."
"Did you hear me call?
"
"Yes, sir."
... So they had really run away from me, driven from
my presence by an uneasy conscience, and, hungry and
tired as I was, I had to wait for a couple of hours for
my dinner.
What a reception after a week full of hard work and
longing ! The thought that she had run away from me
like a school-girl caught breaking the rules stabbed me
like a dagger.
When she returned to the house I was fast asleep on
the sofa, and in a very bad temper. She kissed me as if
nothing had happened, trying to prevent the storm from
breaking. But self-control is not always possible. A
hungry stomach has no ears, and a distressed heart is
not soothed by deceitful kisses.
"Are you angry? "
o 2
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