couple. Then Longmore recognised him--just as he had recognised him a
few days before at the restaurant in the Bois de Boulogne.



VIII

He must have slept some time after he ceased dreaming for he had no
immediate memory of this vision. It came back to him later, after he had
roused himself and had walked nearly home. No great arrangement was
needed to make it seem a striking allegory, and it haunted and oppressed
him for the rest of the day. He took refuge, however, in his quickened
conviction that the only sound policy in life is to grasp unsparingly at
happiness; and it seemed no more than one of the vigorous measures
dictated by such a policy to return that evening to Madame de Mauves.
And yet when he had decided to do so and had carefully dressed himself
he felt an irresistible nervous tremor which made it easier to linger at
his open window, wondering with a strange mixture of dread and desire
whether Madame Clairin had repeated to her sister-in-law what she had
said to him. His presence now might be simply a gratuitous annoyance,
and yet his absence might seem to imply that it was in the power of
circumstances to make them ashamed to meet each other's eyes. He sat a
long time with his head in his hands, lost in a painful confusion of
hopes and ambiguities. He felt at moments as if he could throttle Madame
Clairin, and yet couldn't help asking himself if it weren't possible she
had done him a service. It was late when he left the hotel, and as he
entered the gate of the other house his heart beat so fast that he was
sure his voice would show it.

The servant ushered him into the drawing-room, which was empty and with