I began to walk very fast; Lucile did the same, continuing to talk to me, although I did not reply. I saw that people were staring at us, because I had the aspect of running away from a woman who was pursuing me. I was in dismay. At last I stopped.
“This is a horrible thing that you are doing, Lucile.”
“Well, calm yourself, I will leave you, for you make my heart ache. You start convulsively every time you see a woman! But tell me first, have you my portrait still?”
“Your portrait? Why, I don’t know, I will look.”
“I want you to give it back to me. You can’t care anything about it, and I want it, for it was very like me.”
“I will give it to you.”
“I still live on the same street, but two houses beyond.”
“Very well; I will bring it to you.”
“You promise?”
“Yes.”