He still looked at her, leaning over her with the appearance of a madman.
"Vaudrey?—Vaudrey? The man whom I saw at your uncle's?—The man whom I have elbowed with you?—Vaudrey?—This man was your lover, then?"
She was so alarmed that she did not reply.
"You have lied to me, then? But, tell me, wretched woman, have you not lied to me?"
"I loved you and I desired you!" said Marianne.
"Nonsense!" said Rosas, in a strident, deep-chested voice. "You wanted what that rascal wanted: money! You should have asked me for it! I would have given you everything, all my fortune, all! But not my name! Not my name!"
He roughly repelled her.
She remained on her knees. Her hands hung down and rested on the carpet. She looked at it stupefied, hardly distinguishing its rose pattern.
She was certain that she was about to die. José's sudden anger had the fitfulness of a wild beast's. He crushed her with a terrible glance from his bloodshot eyes.
Then he began to laugh hysterically, like a young girl.