The Beast Within - Emile Zola [104]
When Séverine once again found herself in Monsieur Camy-Lamotte’s austerely furnished study, she was out of breath, and her heart was beating rapidly. The Secretary-General looked at her for a moment in silence, fascinated by the extraordinary effort she was making to appear calm. Yes, he thought to himself, she was most attractive, this shy little criminal with her bright blue eyes!
‘Well, madame ...’ he began.
He paused in order to savour her anxiety for a second or two more. But she looked at him so earnestly, so beseechingly, so desperately anxious to know, that he took pity on her.
‘Well, madame, I have spoken to the General Manager and have arranged for your husband to keep his job at Le Havre. Everything has been settled.’
She felt a wave of joy surge through her and she almost fainted. Her eyes filled with tears, and she was unable to speak. She stood there smiling.
‘Everything has been settled,’ Monsieur Camy-Lamotte repeated, deliberately emphasizing his words in order to make sure she understood exactly what he meant. ‘You may return to Le Havre with your mind at rest.’
Séverine had understood his meaning perfectly; he was telling her that they would not be arrested, that they were pardoned. He wasn’t simply talking about her husband keeping his job, he was telling her that the whole dreadful business was forgotten, dead and buried. With an instinctive gesture of gratitude, like a contented cat that rubs itself round its owner’s legs, she put her face to his hands, kissed them and held them to her cheeks. He allowed his hands to rest in hers; he felt quite touched by such a charming and tender display of feeling.
‘I don’t need to remind you that you have both been very lucky,’ he continued, attempting to resume an air of formality. ‘You must ensure that in future you give us no further cause for complaint.’
‘Of course, monsieur,’ she replied.
He wanted her to know that he still held them both at his mercy and that the letter remained in his possession.
‘Remember that everything is on file,’ he emphasized. ‘If either of you puts a foot wrong, the whole case can be reopened ... In particular I suggest that you advise your husband to stop meddling in politics. If there were any further trouble on that front we would be quite ruthless. I know that he has had to be warned about it once before; I was told he had an unfortunate argument with the Sub-Prefect. It is also no secret that he has republican sympathies, which is appalling ... Either he behaves himself or we get rid of him; it is as simple as that. Do I make myself clear?’
She was on her feet and eager to be outside, hardly able to contain the sheer joy that was almost choking her.
‘Monsieur, we shall do as you say; we shall do as you please ... No matter when, no matter where, you have only to say the word and I am yours.’
A weary smile played on his lips, a smile of faint contempt, the smile of a man who had drunk long and deep at the fount of human depravity.
‘I shall not take advantage, madame,’ he assured her. ‘That is not my way.’
He went over to the door and opened it for her. As she walked down the landing she turned twice to look at him, her face radiant with gratitude.
Outside in the Rue du Rocher, Séverine was beside herself with excitement. Realizing that she was walking up the street in the wrong direction, she walked back down it, crossed the road for no reason and was nearly run over. She needed to be on the move, to wave her arms about, to shout out loud. The reason why they had been let off was beginning to dawn on her.
‘Why, of course,’ she said to herself, ‘it’s they who are frightened. They’re not going to give us any trouble; it’s too risky. What a fool I’ve been to get so worked up about it! It’s so obvious ... This is my lucky day! I’m saved! It’s all over! When I get back I’ll give my husband the fright of his life. He won’t dare open his mouth for weeks ... I’m saved! Thank heavens! I’m saved!’
As she came out into the Rue Saint-Lazare she saw a clock in a jeweller’s shop