you. Come, go home and be good."

Then, Valerie having withdrawn without uttering a word, Madame Bourdieu
was greatly surprised to see Mathieu, who had risen from his chair. And
she suddenly became serious, displeased with herself at having spoken in
his presence. Fortunately, a diversion was created by the arrival of
Norine, who came in from the refectory; and Mathieu then promptly settled
his business and went off, after promising Norine that he would return
some day to see her.

To make up for lost time he was walking hastily towards the Rue La
Boetie, when, all at once, he came to a halt, for at the very corner of
that street he again perceived Valerie, now talking to a man, none other
than her husband. So Morange had come with her, and had waited for her in
the street while she interviewed Madame Bourdieu. And now they both stood
there consulting together, hesitating and evidently in distress. It was
plain to Mathieu that a terrible combat was going on within them. They
stamped about, moved hither and thither in a feverish way, then halted
once more to resume their conversation in a whisper. At one moment the
young man felt intensely relieved, for, turning into the Rue La Boetie,
they walked on slowly, as if downcast and resigned, in the direction of
Grenelle. But all at once they halted once more and exchanged a few
words; and then Mathieu's heart contracted as he saw them retrace their
steps along the Rue La Boetie and follow the Rue de la Pepiniere as far
as the Rue du Rocher. He readily divined whither they were going, but
some irresistible force impelled him to follow them; and before long,
from an open doorway, in which he prudently concealed himself, he saw
them look round to ascertain whether they were observed, and then slink,
first the wife and afterwards the husband, into the dark passage of La
Rouche's house. For a moment Mathieu lingered in his hiding-place,