Милий друг
Suzanne
"
Hissolereplywas:"Ihavechangedmymind."
WhentheyarrivedatRueduFaubourgSaint-Honore,theyfoundMme.Walteraloneinthedaintyboudoirinwhichshereceivedherintimatefriends.Shewasdressedinblackandherhairwaspowdered.Atadistancesheappearedlikeanoldlady,inproximity,likeayouthfulone.
"Areyouinmourning?"asked,Madeleine.
Sherepliedsadly:"Yesandno.Ihavelostnoneofmyrelatives,butIhavearrivedatanagewhenoneshouldwearsombercolors.Iwearitto-daytoinaugurateit;hithertoIhavewornitinmyheart."
Thedinnerwassomewhattedious.Suzannealonetalkedincessantly.Roseseemedpreoccupied.Thejournalistwasoverwhelmedwithcongratulations,afterthemeal,whenallrepairedtothedrawing-rooms.Mme.Walterdetainedhimastheywereabouttoenterthesalon,saying:"Iwillneverspeakofanythingtoyouagain,onlycometoseeme,Georges.Itisimpossibleformetolivewithoutyou.Iseeyou,Ifeelyou,inmyheartalldayandallnight.ItisasifIhaddrunkapoisonwhichpreyeduponme.Icannotbearit.Iwouldratherbeasanoldwomantoyou.Ipowderedmyhairforthatreasonto-night;butcomehere—comefromtimetotimeasafriend."
Herepliedcalmly:"Verywell.Itisunnecessarytospeakofitagain.YouseeIcameto-dayonreceiptofyourletter
