Page:The Writings of Prosper Merimee-Volume 3.djvu/155

Rh With young Society people his manner was cold and reserved. He asked no questions about their secrets; and most of his actions and aU his thoughts were mysteries to them. A Frenchman loves to talk of himself; therefore Saint-Clair was the unwilling recipient of many confidences. His friends — that is to say, those whom he saw about twice a week — complained of his indiffer- ence to their confidences. They felt that indis- cretion should be reciprocal; for, indeed, he who confides his secret to us unasked generally takes offence at not learning ours in return.

"He keeps his thoughts to himself," grum- bled Alphonse de Themines one day.

"I could never place the least confidence in that deuced Saint-Clair," added the smart colonel.

"I think he is half a Jesuit," replied Jules Lambert. " Someone swore to me that he had met him twice coming out of St. Sulpice. No- body knows what he thinks about. I must say I never feel at ease with him."

They separated. Alphonse encountered Saint-Clair in the Boulevard Italien. He was walking with his eyes on the ground, not notic- ing anyone. Alphonse stopped him, took his arm, and, before they had reached the Rue de la Paix, he had related to him the whole history