She hesitated to tell him, dreading his temper, went cautiously up the stairs, past the open doors of the lighted rooms.
Henri caught a glimpse of the dinner-table, through the flowers, and of three of the guests talking and laughing, lightly and pleasantly, in their well-bred, expressionless voices.
And then he found his two sisters in Marianne’s room. As soon as Emilie saw him, she threw herself into his arms:
“Henri!”
“Sissy, what is it?”
She told him, briefly.
“The cad!” he cried. “The cad! Has he hit you? I’ll ... I’ll ...”
He wanted to rush downstairs; they held him back:
“Henri, for goodness’ sake,” Louise entreated, “remember there are people here!”
“Don’t you all want your dinner?” asked Karel, at the door. “We’re starving.”