"Spare yourself useless
pain."
"No, no!" she cried. "I will remain till the last minute. Remember that
I have only him in the world, and when he is gone I shall be all alone!"
From the bedside Mme Gabin was prompting the young man.
"Don't parley--take hold of her, carry her off in your arms."
Was Simoneau about to lay his hands on Marguerite and bear her away? She
screamed. I wildly endeavored to rise, but the springs of my limbs were
broken. I remained rigid, unable to lift my eyelids to see what was
going on. The struggle continued, and my wife clung to the furniture,
repeating, "Oh, don't, don't! Have mercy! Let me go! I will not--"
He must have lifted her in his stalwart arms, for I heard her moaning
like a child. He bore her away; her sobs were lost in the distance,
and I fancied I saw them both--he, tall and strong, pressing her to his
breast; she, fainting, powerless and conquered, following him wherever
he listed.
"Drat it all! What a to-do!" muttered Mme Gabin. "Now for the tug of
war, as the coast is clear at last."
In my jealous madness I looked upon this incident as a monstrous
outrage. I had not been able to see Marguerite for twenty-four hours,
but at least I had still heard her voice.
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