"A thousand francs, messieurs, a thousand francs! Is nobody advancing on this bid? Is that clear? Very well, then—one thousand francs! going!—gone!"
And down came the ivory hammer. She passed in her card, and the little chest was handed over to her. She thrust it into her muff.
Frederick felt a great chill penetrating his heart.
Madame Dambreuse had not let go her hold of his arm; and she had not the courage to look up at his face in the street, where her carriage was awaiting her.
She flung herself into it, like a thief flying away after a robbery, and then turned towards Frederick. He had his hat in his hand.
"Are you not going to come in?"
"No, Madame!"
And, bowing to her frigidly, he shut the carriage-door, and then made a sign to the coachman to drive away.
The first feeling that he experienced was one of joy at having regained his independence. He was filled with pride at the thought that he had avenged Madame Arnoux by sacrificing a fortune to her; then, he was amazed at his own act, and he felt doubled up with extreme physical exhaustion.