The Debacle - Emile Zola [248]
‘No, no, we can’t go on with these lunatics. It would be massacre… I’m all for Monsieur Thiers, who wants elections, and as for this Republic of theirs, well, that doesn’t worry me and they can keep it if they want to until we get something better.’
Very politely Captain von Gartlauben went on nodding his approval and repeating:
‘Of course, of course…’
Henriette, who had grown more and more embarrassed, could not stay there any longer. She felt an irritation without any clear reason, a need not to be there, so she rose softly and went to look for Gilberte, who had kept her waiting so long.
But as she went into the bedroom she was appalled to see her friend lying on the couch in tears and terribly upset.
‘Good gracious, what is it? What’s happened?’
The young woman wept even more bitterly and would not answer, but she was in such a state of confusion that all the blood in her body seemed to have rushed to her face. But in the end she threw herself into Henriette’s outstretched arms.
‘Oh my dear, if only you knew… Never can I dare tell you… And yet you’re the only one I have, and you alone may be able to give me some good advice.’
A shudder ran through her and her speech became even more confused.
‘I was with Edmond… And then, only a moment ago, Madame Delaherche caught me…’
‘What do you mean, caught you?’
‘Yes, we were here, he was holding me, and kissing me…’
Then she kissed Henriette, held her tight in her trembling arms and told her everything.
‘Oh my dear, don’t think too ill of me, it would hurt me so much!… I know I had sworn it would never start again… But you have seen Edmond, he is so brave, and so handsome! And then just think, this poor young man, wounded, ill, far from his mother! And then he’s never had any money because everything at home went into his education… I tell you, I simply couldn’t refuse.’
Henriette was horrified and could not get over her amazement.
‘What! It was with that young sergeant? But my dear, everybody thinks you’re the Prussian’s mistress!’
At once Gilberte leaped up, dried her tears and protested:
‘Mistress of that Prussian… Oh no, the very idea of such a thing! He’s horrible and gives me the creeps… What do they take me for? How could anyone think me capable of such infamy! No, no, never! I’d rather die!’
Her outrage had made her serious, with a suffering and angry beauty that transfigured her. But suddenly her coquettish gaiety and careless frivolity came back in an irrepressible laugh.
‘Well, it’s true I play with him. He worships me, and I only have to look at him and he obeys… If only you knew how funny it is to tease that great lump, who always seems to think he is at last going to be rewarded!’
‘But that’s a very dangerous game,’ said Henriette seriously.
‘Do you think so? What risk do I run? When he sees that he can’t expect anything he can only get annoyed and go away… But no, he’ll never see it! You don’t know the man, he’s one of the kind with whom women can go as far as they like without any danger. You see in that respect I have an instinct that has always warned me. He is far too conceited, and he’ll never admit that I’ve been having him on… All I shall allow him to do is take away memories of me, with the consolation of telling himself that he acted correctly, like a well-bred gentleman who has spent a long time in Paris.’
She thought this was very funny, and went on:
‘Meanwhile we’ll get your uncle Fouchard set free, and all he’ll have for his trouble will be a cup of tea sugared with my own fair hand.’
But then she suddenly veered back to her fears and the fright of having been surprised, and her eyes began swimming with tears again.
‘Oh God! And Madame Delaherche?… Whatever will happen? She has no love for me and is quite capable of telling my husband everything.’
Henriette had recovered her calm. She dried her friend’s eyes and forced her to put her clothes to rights.
‘Listen, dear, I haven’t the heart to scold you, and yet you know that I don’t approve at all. But I had been given such a scare over your Prussian, and had dreaded such nasty