Госпожа Бовари

           "Youhavenotchanged;youarecharmingasever!"

           "Oh,"sherepliedbitterly,"theyarepoorcharmssinceyoudisdainedthem."

           Thenhebeganalongexplanationofhisconduct,excusinghimselfinvagueterms,indefaultofbeingabletoinventbetter.

           Sheyieldedtohiswords,stillmoretohisvoiceandthesightofhim,sothat,shepretendedtobelieve,orperhapsbelieved;inthepretexthegavefortheirrupture;thiswasasecretonwhichdependedthehonour,theverylifeofathirdperson.

           "Nomatter!"shesaid,lookingathimsadly."Ihavesufferedmuch."

           Herepliedphilosophically—

           "Suchislife!"

           "Haslife,"Emmawenton,"beengoodtoyouatleast,sinceourseparation?"

           "Oh,neithergoodnorbad."

           "Perhapsitwouldhavebeenbetternevertohaveparted."

           "Yes,perhaps."

           "Youthinkso?"shesaid,drawingnearer,andshesighed."Oh,Rodolphe!ifyoubutknew!Ilovedyouso!"

           Itwasthenthatshetookhishand,andtheyremainedsometime,theirfingersintertwined,likethatfirstdayattheShow.Withagestureofpridehestruggledagainstthisemotion.Butsinkinguponhisbreastshesaidtohim—

           "HowdidyouthinkIcouldlivewithoutyou?Onecannotlosethehabitofhappiness.Iwasdesolate.IthoughtIshoulddie.Iwilltellyouaboutallthatandyouwillsee.Andyou—youfledfromme!"

           For,allthethreeyears,hehadcarefullyavoidedherinconsequenceofthatnaturalcowardicethatcharacterisesthestrongersex.