“A woman’s voice replied: ‘Already! I was so tired yesterday.’
“Half asleep, I asked myself what this conversation meant.
“Where was I? What had I done?
“My mind wandered, as it was still wrapped in a thick cloud. The first voice replied: ‘I will open your curtains.’
“And I heard steps approaching. I sat up completely bewildered. Then a hand was placed upon my head. I made a quick movement. The voice demanded emphatically: ‘Who’s there?’ I took good care not to answer. Two angry hands caught hold of me. In my turn I seized someone, and a terrible struggle began. We fought, overturning the furniture and striking against the walls.
“The woman’s voice cried out in a frightened tone: ‘Help, help!’
“The servants, the neighbours, and the frightened ladies all hurried to the scene. They opened the shutters, and drew back the curtains. I was grappling with Colonel Dumoulin!
“I had slept beside his daughter’s bed.
“As soon as we had been separated I fled to my room, stupefied with fright. I locked myself in and sat down, placing my feet on a chair, for my shoes were in the young woman’s room.
“I heard a great commotion throughout the château, doors opening and shutting, whispering, and rapid steps.
“After half an hour someone knocked at my door. I cried, ‘Who’s there?’ It was my uncle, the father of the young man who had been married the previous evening, and I let him in.
“He was pale and furiously angry, and he was very severe with me. ‘You have conducted yourself in my house like a cad, do you hear?’ Then in a softer tone he added: ‘What a damned idiot you are to let them catch you there at ten o’clock in the morning! You slept like a log in that room instead of going as soon after as possible.
“I exclaimed: ‘But uncle, I assure you that there was nothing amiss, I mistook my door because I was tipsy.’
“He shrugged his shoulders: ‘Go along, don’t tell me any such nonsense.’ I raised my hand. ‘I swear to you on my honour.’ My uncle continued: ‘Yes, that’s all right, you are in duty bound to say that.’
“I became angry in my turn, and I told him all about my mishap. He gazed at me in astonishment, not knowing what he ought to believe.
“Then he went out to confer with the colonel. I also learned that a kind of court composed of mothers had been formed, and that the different phases of the situation had been submitted to them.
“An hour later he returned, sat down with the air of a judge, and began: ‘Whichever way it is, I see only one way out of it for you and that is to marry Miss Dumoulin.’
“I was so frightened that I jumped up.
“ ‘Do that! never in the world!’
“He gravely asked: ‘What do you intend to do then?’
“I artlessly replied: ‘Well—I shall leave as soon as my boots are returned.’ My uncle replied: ‘No joking if you please. The colonel has resolved to blow out your brains as soon as he sees you, and you may be sure it is not a vain threat. I suggested a duel, but he replied: “No, I tell you I will blow his brains out.”
“ ‘Let us now look at this question from another standpoint.
“ ‘Either you ruined this child—so much the worse for you, my boy, young girls should not be treated thus—or else you made a mistake because you were tipsy, as you say. Then so much the worse for you. You should not have placed yourself in such a foolish position. Whichever way it is the young girl has lost her reputation, for the explanations of a drunkard are never believed. In this case she is the real victim, the only victim. Think it over.’
“And he departed while I cried after him: ‘Say what you like, I won’t marry her.’
“After this I remained alone for an hour.
“Then my aunt came in her turn. She was weeping. She tried every way of reasoning with me. No one believed in my mistake. No one could believe that this young girl had forgotten to lock her door in a house full of people. The colonel had struck her and she had been sobbing all the morning. It was a terrible scandal that could not be effaced.
“And my good aunt added: ‘All the same, ask her hand in marriage; perhaps you may find means of escape while discussing the marriage contract.’ This view comforted me. And I consented to write my offer. An hour later I left for Paris.
“The next day I was advised that my suit had been accepted. So, in three weeks’ time, as I could not find an excuse, or evade it in any way, the banns were published, the invitations sent out, the contract signed, and one Monday morning I found myself in the chancel of a lighted church, by the side of a weeping young girl, having previously sworn to the mayor that I consented to take her as my companion—until the death of one of us.
“I had not seen her since, and I glanced sideways at her with a certain hostile astonishment. Well, she was not ugly; no, not in the least ugly. I said to myself, ‘There’s a woman who will not be very amusing every day.’
“She did not look at me once until evening, and never addressed a word to me.
“Toward the middle of the night I entered the nuptial chamber intending to tell her what I had decided to do, for I was master now.
“I found her seated in an armchair, dressed in her day clothes, her eyes red, and face pale. She arose as soon as I entered and came toward me with a serious air.
“ ‘Sir,’ said she to me, ‘I am willing to do what you order me. I will kill
