Comedy of Marriage and Other Tales. Guy de Maupassant

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СКАЧАТЬ DE SALLUS

      Yes.

      JACQUES DE RANDOL

      And he is abrupt with you, not to say brutal? He demands his right without even praying for it?

      MME. DE SALLUS

      True.

      JACQUES DE RANDOL

      My darling, for the moment you are simply a substitute.

      MME. DE SALLUS

      Oh! no, no!

      JACQUES DE RANDOL

      My dearest girl, your husband’s latest mistress was Madame de Bardane, whom he left very abruptly about two months ago to run after the Santelli.

      MME. DE SALLUS

      What, the singer?

      JACQUES DE RANDOL

      Yes, a capricious, saucy, cunning, venal little woman. A woman not at all uncommon upon the stage, or in the world either, for that matter.

      MME. DE SALLUS

      Then that is why he haunts the Opéra.

      JACQUES DE RANDOL [laughs]

      Without a doubt.

      MME. DE SALLUS [dreamily]

      No, no, you are deceiving yourself.

      JACQUES DE RANDOL [emphatically]

      The Santelli resists him and repulses him; then, burdened with a heart full of longing that has no outlet, he deigns to offer you a portion.

      MME. DE SALLUS

      My dear, you are dreaming. If he were in love with the Santelli, he would not tell me that he loves me. If he were so entirely preoccupied with this creature, he would not woo me. If he coveted her, he would not desire me at the same time.

      JACQUES DE RANDOL

      How little you understand certain kinds of men! Men like your husband, once inoculated with the poison of love, – which in them is nothing but brutal desire, – men like him, I say, when a woman they desire escapes or resists them, become raging beasts. They behave like madmen, like men possessed, with arms outstretched and lips wide open. They must love some one, no matter whom just as a mad dog with open jaws bites anything and everybody. The Santelli has unchained this raging brute, and you find yourself face to face with his dripping jaws. Take care! You call that love! It is nothing but animal passion.

      MME. DE SALLUS [sarcastically]

      Really, you are very unfair to him. I am afraid jealousy is blinding you.

      JACQUES DE RANDOL

      Oh, no, I am not deceiving myself, you may be sure.

      MME. DE SALLUS

      Yes, I think you are. Formerly my husband neglected and abandoned me, doubtless finding me very insipid; but now he finds me much improved, and has returned to me. It is very easy to understand, and moreover, it is the worse for him, for he must believe that I have been a faithful wife to him all my life.

      JACQUES DE RANDOL

      Madeline!

      MME. DE SALLUS

      Well, what?

      JACQUES DE RANDOL

      Does a girl cease to be a faithful wife, if, when deserted by the man who has assumed charge of her existence, and her happiness, and her love, and her ideals, she refuses to resign herself – young, beautiful, and full of hope – to eternal isolation and everlasting solitude?

      MME. DE SALLUS

      I think I have already told you that there are certain things which it is not necessary to discuss, and this is one of them. [The front door bell sounds twice.] Here is my husband. Please be silent. He is in a gloomy mood just now.

      JACQUES DE RANDOL [rises]

      I think I shall go. I am not in love with your husband any more, for many reasons, and it is difficult for me to be polite to him when I despise him, and when I know that he ought to despise me, and would despise me when I shake hands with him, did he know all.

      MME. DE SALLUS [annoyed]

      How many times must I tell you that all this is entirely out of place?

      SCENE II

      (The same, including M. de Sallus.)

      Enter M. de Sallus, evidently in a bad temper. He looks for a moment at Mme. de Sallus and at Jacques de Randol, who is taking his leave; then comes forward.

      JACQUES DE RANDOL

      Ah! Sallus.

      M. DE SALLUS

      How are you, Randol? Surely you are not going because I came.

      JACQUES DE RANDOL

      No, but my time is up. I have an appointment at the club at midnight, and now it is half after eleven. [They shake hands.] Have you come from the first performance of “Mahomet”?

      M. DE SALLUS

      Oh! Of course.

      JACQUES DE RANDOL

      People say that it should be a great success.

      M. DE SALLUS

      It doubtless will be.

      JACQUES DE RANDOL [shakes hands again with De SALLUS and Madame de Sallus]

      Well, till I see you again.

      M. DE SALLUS

      Till then, my dear fellow.

      JACQUES DE RANDOL

      Madame, adieu.

      MME. DE SALLUS

      Adieu, Monsieur de Randol. [Exit Randol.]

      SCENE III

      (M. de Sallus and Mme. de Sallus.)

      M. DE SALLUS [sinks into an armchair]

      Was Randol here any length of time?

      MME. DE SALLUS

      No, possibly half an hour.

      M. DE SALLUS [meditatively]

      Half an hour plus a whole hour makes an hour and a half, does it not? Time seems to fly when you are with him.

      MME. DE SALLUS

      What do you mean СКАЧАТЬ