Two banks of the Seine

ne infallible medicine whenever her "crises of remembrances" as she termed them, returned to haunt her. She puni

oment she came back, she fell to work again. She started once more immediately after dinne

istory of humanity helped her to hold as futile her little sentimental regrets. These lofty thoughts brought forth a supreme breath of pride and dried the inner tears which her heart persisted in distilling. C

pse had been so serious, so sudden and so childish that she stood in need of punishment. She wanted to meet again, fac

ersary. She no longer stood in dread of Gerald because she thought him the lover of M

mit a feeling of jealousy towards this little brainless

ld himself, how futile his words were! His voice was that of a debauchee, an oily drawl, with accents that were imperious but carried no authority;

ng, so much did she long at once to challenge them both, t

d took her arm to lead her to her bedroom. They walked together along the dark passage. Everything was quiet in the house. Sometimes they paused, smilingly li

ght in mingled admir

of her masculine soul! Had he but heard the "Poor Father!" with which

day came at last when they were g

e wore when she went out in evening dress, when she heard a sudden

in!" s

t sleeves. His white tie hung

ve tried to find out more about her.... Find out!... Find out what, I ask you, and where?... All this because of a dinner that has no importance!... She wants us to p

érèse said

oom. "She gets them from those fellows! From the vestry!... Oh, she did deny it

ce. Mme. Raindal entered the

the bell. Thérèse, go and open the door,

well,

ed to find her Uncle Cyprien, who was wiping

errily. Then he noticed that Thérèse h

nd I came to share your d

. They had said nothing to him about the Cham

e, we are

out of the room. He exchanged the customar

are not dining here....

d Uncle Cyprien. Af

reet to ask where

red no lon

to Mme. Chambannes', a lady whom

pell it?" Cyprien asked,

t for him. The younge

as if he were testing the sound of a na

he gav

r!" he said, "t

down the stairs, still muttering t

or Dubourg and hid under those Gallic, Roman or Frankish syllables, names bestowed on the mount of Sinai, and Uncle Cyprien boasted of an exceptionally good scent when it came to unearthing such deceptions. He had not even admitted the pu

xclaimed, as he started to enjoy a

eside him and studi

to dine with my brother ... but they

ny?" Schlei

the lady?" Cy

es at the house of one of my pupils' parents, young Pums, t

er ..." Cypr

mbannes invited Mme. Pums and gave her the names of the other

hing of it to me?" said Raind

n represse

I assumed that your brother had not told

became t

truth!... What kind of people are the

d not tell a falsehood to his friend. But why, on the other hand, should he further excite this savage ill-will, ever ready to spr

... He is an engineer and specializes in mining affairs, I believe.... The woma

mustache; then suddenly he burst ou

Jews, are

Jews have not, as a rule, colonized very much.... His wife appears rather of

name!" Cypri

ent it from being a Frenchified Jewish name.... Chambannes might well be derived from Rham-Bahal, or from the

acently.... "Rham-Bahan!... Of course ...

had whetted his appetite and, his

ittle while ago of a list of

chleifmann sa

e they?" Cypr

an shifted

ollection of them.... I assu

eifmann! Try to rememb

om flaying the whole dubious clique of men who had in the past refused him a hearing. He began to feel that he lacked the stre

bourines for society balls and sells anything he likes to the Americans.... Hm!... M. Mazuccio, a little Itali

!" Cyprien en

vent him from being one of the heads of the black band.... You know, the clan of German financiers who daily speculate against the French bonds.... Ah! many legends, many lies are told concerning the Jews.... But, alas, this is not an invention; t

. Raindal sai

narrow mind, who thinks she can wipe out these crimes by throwing mo

it the table

l get on the day when her rascally husb

knew now he could rely on the Galician, as one could trust a roaring

two societies which he "advised" have ended before a magistrate.... But he gets on just the same!... People say that his wife helps him.... Not that she is go

n remarked, his lips twi

, the face of a gypsy, and his wife, a small red-headed woman.... But she

t?" Cypr

tion towards artists.... Any painter has but to stoop down to

that Mme. Chamba

n stopped

t all.... Quit

d malic

ds a regular life, a

up the normal th

.... The Marquis de Meuze and

with irony.... "Sham

would like the old Marquis very much.... I have been assured that he shared

s, but without commenting upon them: Jean Bunel, the noveli

ilent and C

that

ff his gold-rimmed spectacles to wipe the glasses, t

unger assumed a j

question

ning," Schl

ser to him and a

they are all

.. He has been French since 1878, this little Pums.... Well I remember how proud he was of it when he came back to Lemberg, at his next annual visit.... He ran from h

!" remarke

at to his father.... They have the mania for change in that family. The grandfather was born in Mayence and became an American. Good! The father came to Paris and turned i

, a sneer

that they would have thrown out all these tourists! You, the true Fren

nn?" Raindal asked. "Are you no

gave a mela

man without a country and a man without a country I must remain.... I

en objected. "But what would h

ind of a soldier.... I am sorry.... However much I do detest war and the imbecile reasons for which nations massacre each other, I wo

ourself useful in other

voice, as if he were addressing his o

ith glee how stupefied his brother would be when he heard: "Well! How is old Herschstein! And that charmi

g of something so funny...

d to show hi

kirchenwasser?... Gar?on, kirchenwasser and two gla

over of twisted straw. Cyprien poured two big drin

hleifmann!" he s

Galician replied,

amily were making their entry i

d-work. It gave her the silhouette of a Spanish princess. Chambannes followed her; he was perha

d about the hips, the massive bones of a Republic or a Liberty; Mme. Silberschmidt, a thin dark woman with the face of a sick hen; Mme. Herschstein, more angular and haughty in her white satin corsage than a lady of ancient lineage. Then came the men, one by one, as they hap

ut his temples; it was the projection of his two big light chocolate eyes, so keen in seeing things, so ingenuous and so languorous that, but for a flicker of sly archness at the bottom of them, one might have thought them the eyes of a good li

thank him; they were pas

on the left. The neighbors of Thérèse were Gerald and Mazuccio; the latter a sort of brown faun, who droned his with the fury of a Venetian m

ies were especially anxious to hear M. Raindal whom they imagined, after his Life of Cleop

his manners of an ill at ease ex-prefect-and his almost inaudible voice. Moreover, they were not missing much. Details on the climate of Egypt, the

en to him, the Marquis and Mme. Chambanne

ding sumptuousness embarrassed him much more than the tender glances of the young woman. He had written a whole chapter on the Pomp of Cleopatra; he had not winced at the gems, the gold, the incense and all the sumptuousness of the Inimitable Life; but he now remained as one dazed before the reality of a magnificence that was much inferior to it. The profusion of flowers running in garlands all over the table, the light shin

disposition of the Sultan had proved devilishly successful; it was Herschstei idea, had been sent from Paris to Vienna, re-telegraphed from Vienna to Paris, and had upset the Bourse throughout the afternoon. Turkish stocks had tumbled down, 3 francs, 6 francs, 10 francs at a time and the panic had spread to the French rent! Result: about 100,000 francs for each of the active members of the black band and a paltry 25,000 for Pums, who was only an ally, a sort of honorary accomplice. However, he was not dissatisfied with his share and even wished to pay back Herschstein who explained to him the new plans of the Bank of Galicia concerning certain gold mines. That scheme consisted in forming a syndicate which would be named an Investigating Society and would glean from the marke

could he listen to these gentlemen without being discourteous to the other one, that M. Raindal with his damned stories about mummies and Mariette Bey?... The marquis tried vainly to follow both conversations and his face became purple in the attempt. He could only hear a few words of the one that was carried on further from him: fontein ... rand ... chartered ... Cecil

ch glaube das die

ed stock, "his little Red Diamond," as he called it victoriously! This time M. de Meuze co

the Red Diamond, I believe? Would it be ind

lied, for he always felt honore

an, the sizing up of the different mi

Zoz benefit alone; he felt that a gradual mist of sympathy isolated them together from the rest of the par

tr followers!... A little Gree

he we

our luggage on board; Mariette Bey r

laxed her zeal when she could not understand. At such time her eyes wandered, innocently settling in turn upon each of

ourse, it is quite understood, we two are lovers!" But Mlle. Raindal, alas, seemed less satisfied. Poor girl! Gerald and Mazuccio-they were leaving her shamelessly alone. One inclined his face towards the flat chest of Germaine de Marquesse and almost touched

ed. His eyes blinked with pleasure. He coughed to gather himself together again and lifted his head, unconsciously awaiting the next soulful look, or else he admired Zoz

... A little Greek gi

wed suspicion; she looked hard towards Mlle. Raindal who was half-hidden

his set, oldish smile like a wrinkle? What was the meaning of the contemptuous glances and

thought, "one might think she wa

thought ca

l is annoyed!... I can

ls. It was too late, after all! She would see to it next time! She pressed her nails into the translucent slice of

ald said, offering

a word. Gerald multiplied his courteous, deferential attitudes; he drew in his chest and gave all the signs of a well-bred man of t

moise

s steps towards the smoking-room. Thérèse c

one who has accomplished an imposed task. Outside the smoking-room he took Mazuccio familiarly by the shoulders to make him pass in front

s he approached in short and somewha

and sat down to the right of her moth

e. Chambannes entertains people in the most perfect fashion.... Now ... you agree that I wa

l to blush suddenly, but Thérèse

u.... These people improve very

Chambannes was calling him a

the use they had made of their afternoon. Their outward contrast brought out all the more the best points of each. One guessed that they shared the same taste

the curtain of the smoking-room; joyful exclamations greeted the graceful pair. Th

tions concerning the forthcoming winter; and then Zozé began to feel ill at ease. Great Heavens! What could she talk about? Dresses! She must not think of it! Poor women, they were rather "trussed up!" Theaters? They had admitted that they had not been to one for two years. Zozé tried; she groped for id

s a rule, that was the hour for smutty stories. They would go by twos to whisper in the dark corners; the old people us

tambourines, and little Mme. Pums, who had been last in leaving the smoking-room, dared to maintain the tradition. They settled down in a window corner. With the exact expres

becoming heavy. The abundant meal or the efforts to recall his memories which he had made dur

Mme. Chambannes brought towards

ul novels sure you have read,

Raindal warmly, as he pressed the hand of Bunel, who

; rapidly he turned out an admiring senten

and made a sign to Mme. Raindal and

y?" Mme. Chambannes asked

xcuse and they all walked

feeling of frolic was in the air; they all felt a need to let out foolish remarks and to fall back into their habits.

s returned, she fou

gay here," she exclaimed

you think

rming!" said Gerald, in the mi

also to say something very funny, but

an one of the most rema

s?" Zozé

n contradicting a clubman.... "Yes, without comparing him to Taine or Renan, I think that within th

med, suddenly brought

e. Herschstein, to whom the master had listened, affirmed that M. Raindal was one of the most interesting of men. Mme. Pums tho

al that Zozé felt much pity for her lit

of the mantelpiece. When she came quite close to him she murmured in a passio

ou lo

e count instantly a