suppose, in some uncorrupted corner of his being that as she originally
saw him so he ought to have been. It disagrees with him somewhere that a
little American bourgeoise should have fancied him a finer fellow than
he is or than he at all wants to be. He hasn't a glimmering of real
acquaintance with his wife; he can't understand the stream of passion
flowing so clear and still. To tell the truth I hardly understand it
myself, but when I see the sight I find I greatly admire it. The Count
at any rate would have enjoyed the comfort of believing his wife as bad
a case as himself, and you'll hardly believe me when I assure you he
goes about intimating to gentlemen whom he thinks it may concern that it
would be a convenience to him they should make love to Madame de
Mauves."



V

On reaching Paris Longmore straightaway purchased a Murray's "Belgium"
to help himself to believe that he would start on the morrow for
Brussels; but when the morrow came it occurred to him that he ought by
way of preparation to acquaint himself more intimately with the Flemish
painters in the Louvre. This took a whole morning, but it did little to
hasten his departure. He had abruptly left Saint-Germain because it
seemed to him that respect for Madame de Mauves required he should
bequeath her husband no reason to suppose he had, as it were, taken a
low hint; but now that he had deferred to that scruple he found himself
thinking more and more ardently of his friend. It was a poor expression
of ardour to be lingering irresolutely on the forsaken boulevard, but he
detested the idea of leaving Saint-Germain five hundred miles behind
him. He felt very foolish, nevertheless, and wandered about nervously,