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128 certain scruples, for he was delicate and subject to headaches as a result of indecisive pleasures. He felt proud of the at least partial domination, which he could, at scabrous moments, exercise over his nervous centres with his well-constructed, well-conditioned brain.

"Do you love your husband, little Rose?"

"Oh, yes!"

She roused her self [sic] to utter this exclamation with energy. M. Hervart felt no further indecision. Furthermore, he began almost at once to give a new direction to his thoughts. He wanted something to eat; Rose acquiesced. As she was slow in getting up he wanted to pick her up in his arms; but his arms, grown strangely weak, were unequal to the light burden. M. Hervart felt, too, that his legs were not as solid as they might have been. He would have liked to eat and at the same time to lie down in the grass. He let himself fall back on the bench.

"You look so tired," said Rose, inventing every kind of tenderness. "Stay her, I'll bring you some cakes and wine."

But he refused and they went back together.

Cheered by a little sherry and some brioches,