Page:Georges Eekhoud - Escal Vigor, a novel.djvu/215

Rh odious to me as an executioner, who should take it into his head to deprive me of food and sleep. Ah, you are doing a fine, charitable work, you holy, virtuous, angelic woman!

"With thy airs and mute reproaches, thy face of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows, if I die mad thou mayest boast of being the chief extinguisher of my reason.

"For more than a year hast thou spied on me, thwarted me, harassed me, and burnt my very heart over a slow fire, under pretence of loving me."

—" Why did you seduce me?" she asked him.

—"Seduce thee! Thou wert no virgin!" he had the wickedness to fling back in reply.

"Fi, Monsieur! in speaking to me thus you are more brutal than the poor wretch who outraged me. You are more guilty than he, because you possessed me without joy and without love.

"Oh, why?"

"I wished to change myself, to conquer myself, to overcome my inveterate repugnances, he replied. Thou art the only woman indeed whom I have possessed; the only one who went near to stirring my blood."