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Myrtil went on, in an accent of despair, andstruck the table with the palm of
his hand. Guillaume chewed his moustache as he listened to his
brothersexplanation.
Hisfinal sentences were drowned in a murmur of
comment.
Besides, it wasnot with emotion that Hermine was smiling. Nevertheless
a ring encircled one of his fingers, rather as a hoopencircles a little
barrel.
And this alliance indicated marriage, afamily, a household.
The
shortest women find their stature increased by it.
You would think that his
only pleasure in life is tokill himself. Hippolyte had looked on without moving
a muscle at the conclusion ofthis scene.
Sarah, who had been onher feet since
the evening when the armchair had collapsed, ran tomeet him.
We< dont
buythe
same bread with German money as with French. A bed had been hastily
prepared in
the sitting-room.
But an _expression_ ofinexpiable rancour fought against
his
exhaustion.
Shadows were bustling, withmonstrously exaggerated gestures,
over
heaped up piles of baggage.
Leaning towardshim, she drank in his
detached
words, unable to quicken their flow.
There are men who have confidencein
one
another.
And the strangest thing of all is that she has notdone it on
purpose!
He waited for the unjust to utter thecry which the just should have
uttered.
Sarah gazed at her husbandwith a sombre admiration. Joseph called to
witness
the circle of eager eyesthat surrounded him.
They found themselves
presently
side by side in the narrow bed.
Joseph, trusting in his tactics,adjusted
his
spectacles and, bowing again:. But his voice was already subduedby alarm
in the
presence of the general surprise and attention. You would see that even
at
thistime of night, there are still lighted candles in the town.
His eyes
darted
from hisbrother to the cripple.
Nevertheless a ring encircled one of
his
fingers, rather as a hoopencircles a little barrel. But the rage of the
head of
thehouse had already exceeded all bounds.
Myrtil felt theswollen
drumsticks of
his brothers fingers grip his arm in jerks.
And what he next said did
indeeddeserve careful attention. The only thing was, how to procure the
fresh
supply ofliquid cash. The shortest women find their stature increased by
it.
His eyes darted from hisbrother to the cripple. Their cousin Jacob
Sternhesitated; he could not tear his eyes from the papers.
Bear this
in
mind,Fritz: if you wish to succeed in life, it means waiting,
andunderstanding.
Sarah gazed at her husbandwith a sombre admiration.
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