that Euscbe gets drunk? You are very unjust to judge
her by him — I consider it a great lack of charity!
Moreover, I am no longer a child, therefore kindly
permit me to know my own business.5
Marie said to Jouse: 'This JEliana; of course I do
all that I can to hefriend her for I really pity her,
the poor girl —imagine living whh that dirty old
drunkard! But sometimes I am a little afraid. I ask
myself sometimes: is she good?'
Jouse looked tenderly at his wife: CI do not know
if ^Eliana is good, but I fear she is inevitable, my
Marioun/
'Why?' she faltered.
But he had not the heart to explain. Ai! las, these
poor mothers who having bred sons were so apt to
forget that they grew into men. 'Do not worry, we can
trust our son. . . .' he consoled her.
Anfos frankly detested ^Eliana and whenever they
met he made faces at her: 'Go away! Go away! Go
away!' he would squeal; 'Do not touch me!' And then
he would start grimacing. At such times even Chris-
tophe could not control him, for Anfos refused to
listen to reason.
Kahn thought her appearance distinctly attractive
but his mind was engrossed by affairs of business;
moreover he was earning the requisite price of a visit
now and again to Saint Raphael.
Only the impudent tout petit Loup expressed a
supreme and disdainful indifference: *P6u! what is she?
Just a girl like the rest. I have never found much to
choose between them. As for me, I cannot be
bothered these days/ Whereupon he would roll a
small cigarette with the air of one who had seduced
many virgins.
Meanwhile the spring drifted into the summer, and
the sun became always more insistent, and the nights
more fervent from the heat of the days, while the
399