What didsurprise me was the way in which the young
man turned upon him. Verdurin said to his wife: You know where Cottardhas gone?
Morel was all the more ready to believe this lie since M.
After what hasjust happened, I can no longer, Im
afraid, ask the Baron to presentme.
As for the social side of the incident, the
rumourspread abroad that M.
I believe that you have plenty of character, that
you are aman, replied Mme.
Dont go and make a stupid blunder like that! But I
never told you I wasfond of him, muttered M.
It still flowedfrom its source, but it had
changed.
I shall do it only upon the express condition
thatnobody knows anything about it.
What flatterers all these Sorbonnards
are!
The person whom he awaited thus was Morel. Now the
Baron longed only for areconciliation. He is a gentleman with a vile reputation and
the mostshocking stories are told about him. It was as to a woman endowed with these
sound instincts that she hadshewn kindness to Mme.
Needless to say, it appealedto his orthodox
mind.
Oh, even if it only took a moment, it proves that
he is atraitor, cried Morel.
That would avoid all thenuisance of scenes, and
gratitude, and speeches. Wait, I shall take you to her myself, said Mme. Verdurin,
acting the kind-heartedcurmudgeon.
Verdurin had retired to the outerdrawing-room, as a
sign of diplomatic rupture, leaving M.