Hortense was confused for a moment. All her anger had subsided. She looked
at Renine with the surprise which one experiences when confronted with
certain persons who are unlike their fellows, more capable of performing
unusual actions, more generous and disinterested. She realised perfectly
that he was acting without any ulterior motive or calculation, that he was,
as he had said, merely fulfilling his duty as a gentleman to a woman who
has taken the wrong turning.

Speaking very gently, he said:

"I know very little about you, madame, but enough to make me wish to be of
use to you. You are twenty-six years old and have lost both your parents.
Seven years ago, you became the wife of the Comte d'Aigleroche's nephew by
marriage, who proved to be of unsound mind, half insane indeed, and had
to be confined. This made it impossible for you to obtain a divorce and
compelled you, since your dowry had been squandered, to live with your
uncle and at his expense. It's a depressing environment. The count and
countess do not agree. Years ago, the count was deserted by his first wife,
who ran away with the countess' first husband. The abandoned husband and
wife decided out of spite to unite their fortunes, but found nothing but
disappointment and ill-will in this second marriage. And you suffer the
consequences. They lead a monotonous, narrow, lonely life for eleven months
or more out of the year. One day, you met M. Rossigny, who fell in love
with you and suggested an elopement. You did not care for him. But you were
bored, your youth was being wasted, you longed for the unexpected, for
adventure ... in a word, you accepted with the very definite intention of
keeping your admirer at arm's length, but also with the rather ingenuous
hope that the scandal would force your uncle's hand and make him account
for his trusteeship and assure you of an independent existence. That is how
you stand. At present you have to choose between placing yourself in M.