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142 blow from afar a farewell kiss to husband, Sophy, mamma, grandmamma—and virtue!"

She laughed merrily.

"The future of the nations is not what I am looking forward to. No, I am resolved to get for myself the greatest possible amount of happiness, under the circumstances in which I am placed. &hellip; You will say I am a mere product of environment; well, let it be so. But mind: the way I live harms no one. If I am contented, so is my husband, and so are my admirers as well."

"And their wives too?" I hazarded.

"Well, but is it my fault if they are fools? Now, I'll tell you what. Never have I taken a man from a woman he loved. I am not of those whose sole aim is to make difficult conquests."

She added, after a pause:

"For ever so long (and that you must surely know) Imszanski has been quite indifferent to his wife."

Just then the bell rang in the antechamber. Madame Wildenhoff gave a start, then burst into a fit of laughter. In that laugh of hers, I find something peculiarly interesting; but I cannot guess what.