By degrees, her strength and self-control abandoned her; two or three times her absent-mindedness had been noticed; and, at last, there was such a change in her features that M. de —— inquired if she were not well.
This question confused her; she answered she was well, and rang the bell for tea.
It was eleven o'clock.
She took advantage of the momentary disturbance caused by the preparations for tea to come near me, saying:
"Will you come and see a picture which is offered me for sale? It is there in the small parlour."
"I am not much of a connoisseur," I replied, "but if I cannot venture on advising you, madame, I promise to give you truthfully my impressions."
I followed her into the next room.
At the risk of being seen, she took my hand, and in a voice almost extinct she said: "Arthur, have pity on me! What I am suffering is beyond my strength, beyond my courage!"
At this moment, M. de —— also entered the parlour to see the picture.
Madame de Fersen had so completely lost her head, that I had abruptly to withdraw my hand from hers.