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impossibility to her。
And when Hector brought this news to his wife she sank on a chair；
murmuring：
〃It would be better to bring her here； it would cost us less。〃
He started in amazement。
〃Here？ In our own house？ How can you think of such a thing？〃
But she； resigned now to anything； replied with tears in her eyes：
〃But what can we do； my love？ It's not my fault！〃
USELESS BEAUTY
I
About half…past five one afternoon at the end of June when the sun was
shining warm and bright into the large courtyard； a very elegant victoria
with two beautiful black horses drew up in front of the mansion。
The Comtesse de Mascaret came down the steps just as her husband； who was
coming home； appeared in the carriage entrance。 He stopped for a few
moments to look at his wife and turned rather pale。 The countess was
very beautiful； graceful and distinguished looking； with her long oval
face； her complexion like yellow ivory； her large gray eyes and her black
hair； and she got into her carriage without looking at him； without even
seeming to have noticed him； with such a particularly high…bred air； that
the furious jealousy by which he had been devoured for so long again
gnawed at his heart。 He went up to her and said： 〃You are going for a
drive？〃
She merely replied disdainfully： 〃You see I am！〃
〃In the Bois de Boulogne？〃
〃Most probably。〃
〃May I come with you？〃
〃The carriage belongs to you。〃
Without being surprised at the tone in which she answered him； he got in
and sat down by his wife's side and said： 〃Bois de Boulogne。〃 The
footman jumped up beside the coachman； and the horses as usual pranced
and tossed their heads until they were in the street。 Husband and wife
sat side by side without speaking。 He was thinking how to begin a
conversation； but she maintained such an obstinately hard look that he
did not venture to make the attempt。 At last； however； he cunningly；
accidentally as it were； touched the countess' gloved hand with his own；
but she drew her arm away with a movement which was so expressive of
disgust that he remained thoughtful； in spite of his usual authoritative
and despotic character； and he said： 〃Gabrielle！〃
〃What do you want？〃
〃I think you are looking adorable。〃
She did not reply； but remained lying back in the carriage； looking like
an irritated queen。 By that time they were driving up the Champs
Elysees； toward the Arc de Triomphe。 That immense monument； at the end
of the long avenue； raised its colossal arch against the red sky and the
sun seemed to be descending on it； showering fiery dust on it from the
sky。
The stream of carriages； with dashes of sunlight reflected in the silver
trappings of the harness and the glass of the lamps； flowed on in a
double current toward the town and toward the Bois； and the Comte de
Mascaret continued： 〃My dear Gabrielle！〃
Unable to control herself any longer； she replied in an exasperated
voice： 〃Oh！ do leave me in peace； pray！ I am not even allowed to have
my carriage to myself now。〃 He pretended not to hear her and continued：
〃You never have looked so pretty as you do to…day。〃
Her patience had come to an end； and she replied with irrepressible
anger： 〃You are wrong to notice it； for I swear to you that I will never
have anything to do with you in that way again。〃
The count was decidedly stupefied and upset； and； his violent nature
gaining the upper hand； he exclaimed： 〃What do you mean by that？〃 in a
tone that betrayed rather the brutal master than the lover。 She replied
in a low voice； so that the servants might not hear amid the deafening
noise of the wheels： 〃Ah！ What do I mean by that？ What do I mean by
that？ Now I recognize you again！ Do you want me to tell everything？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Everything that has weighed on my heart since I have been the victim of
your terrible selfishness？〃
He had grown red with surprise and anger and he growled between his
closed teeth： 〃Yes； tell me everything。〃
He was a tall； broad…shouldered man； with a big red beard； a handsome
man； a nobleman； a man of the world； who passed as a perfect husband and
an excellent father； and now； for the first time since they had started；
she turned toward him and looked him full in the face： 〃Ah！ You will
hear some disagreeable things； but you must know that I am prepared for
everything； that I fear nothing； and you less than any one to…day。〃
He also was looking into her eyes and was already shaking with rage as he
said in a low voice： 〃You are mad。〃
〃No； but I will no longer be the victim of the hateful penalty of
maternity； which you have inflicted on me for eleven years！ I wish to
take my place in society as I have the right to do； as all women have the
right to do。〃
He suddenly grew pale again and stammered： 〃I do not understand you。〃
〃Oh！ yes； you understand me well enough。 It is now three months since I
had my last child； and as I am still very beautiful； and as； in spite of
all your efforts you cannot spoil my figure； as you just now perceived；
when you saw me on the doorstep； you think it is time that I should think
of having another child。〃
〃But you are talking nonsense！〃
〃No； I am not； I am thirty； and I have had seven children； and we have
been married eleven years； and you hope that this will go on for ten
years longer； after which you will leave off being jealous。〃
He seized her arm and squeezed it； saying： 〃I will not allow you to talk
to me like that much longer。〃
〃And I shall talk to you till the end； until I have finished all I have
to say to you； and if you try to prevent me； I shall raise my voice so
that the two servants； who are on the box； may hear。 I only allowed you
to come with me for that object； for I have these witnesses who will
oblige you to listen to me and to contain yourself； so now pay attention
to what I say。 I have always felt an antipathy to you； and I have always
let you see it； for I have never lied； monsieur。 You married me in spite
of myself； you forced my parents； who were in embarrassed circumstances；
to give me to you； because you were rich； and they obliged me to marry
you in spite of my tears。
〃So you bought me； and as soon as I was in your power； as soon as I had
become your companion； ready to attach myself to you； to forget your
coercive and threatening proceedings； in order that I might only remember
that I ought to be a devoted wife and to love you as much as it might be
possible for me to love you； you became jealous； you； as no man has ever
been before； with the base； ignoble jealousy of a spy； which was as
degrading to you as it was to me。 I had not been married eight months
when you suspected me of every perfidiousness； and you even told me so。
What a disgrace！ And as you could not prevent me from being beautiful
and from pleasing people； from being called in drawing…rooms and also in
the newspapers one of the most beautiful women in Paris； you tried
everything you could think of to keep admirers from me； and you hit upon
the abominable idea of making me spend my life in a constant state of
motherhood； until the time should come when I should disgust every