Page:The Writings of Prosper Merimee-Volume 1.djvu/245

Rh place here. Love her! Alas! no. I only sought in her society distraction from a more serious sentiment which it was necessary to combat. That appears to you ridiculous, incomprehensible? The purity of your mind would not admit that one could seek a remedy like that. Well, that is not the worst deed of my life. If the rest of us had not sometimes the means of diverting our passions—perhaps now—perhaps it would be I who had thrown myself out of the window. But I do not know what I am saying, and you must not listen to me. I scarcely comprehend myself."

"I asked you if you loved her," resumed Madame de Piennes with lowered eyes and some hesitation, "because if you had a—a friendship for her, you would doubtless have courage to do her a little evil in order to do her a great good afterward. To be sure, the sorrow of not seeing you would be hard for her to bear; but it would be much more serious now to turn her from the path into which she has been almost miraculously led. It is important for her salvation, Max, that she should entirely forget a time which your presence would recall too vividly to her mind."

Max shook his head without replying. He was not a believer, and the word "salvation," which had so much weight with Madame de