“With pleasure, monsieur.”
The lady took Auguste’s arm, and they walked away from the inn, talking.
“If I were not afraid of being too inquisitive, madame, I would ask what makes you leave Paris.”
“Oh! I am very willing to tell you, monsieur. I am the child of respectable tradespeople; they married me when very young to a man whom I did not love; but I felt bound to obey, in order to gratify my parents.”
“That was very good of you, madame.”
“There was a very agreeable gentleman who had courted me before I was married; I didn’t love him either, but I listened to him to gratify him.”
“My husband didn’t make me happy; he was never willing that I should go out, and I stayed at home because that gratified him. But sometimes I had visitors, among others the gentleman who used to court me.”
“And that didn’t gratify your husband?”
“Apparently not, monsieur; for not long ago, happening to find him with me, he turned me out of doors. I undertook to be angry, and he beat me, monsieur; and said he’d do it again whenever he chose.”