In returning she remained silent and leaned no longer on his arm. Why?
At that time it had never occurred to him to ask himself "why." Now he seemed to apprehend something that he had not then understood.
What was it?
M. Savel felt himself blush, and he got up at a bound, feeling thirty years younger, believing that he now understood Madame Saudres then to say, "I love you."
Was it possible! That suspicion which had just entered his soul, tortured him. Was it possible that he could not have seen, not have dreamed!
Oh! if that could be true, if he had rubbed against such good fortune without laying hold of it!
He said to himself: "I wish to know. I cannot remain in this state of doubt. I wish to know!" He put on his clothes quickly, dressed in hot haste. He thought: "I am sixty-two years of age, she is fifty-eight; I may ask her that now without giving offense."
He started out.
The Saudres's house was situated on the other side of the street, almost directly opposite his own. He went up to it, knocked, and a little servant came to open the door.
"You there at this hour, ill, Savel! Has some accident happened to you?"