good; she must be a courageous woman. I saw her the
morning I called at your workshop; kindly give my
compliments to your mother. By the way, if I do
build that villa of mine I shall ask you to make me
some strong oak cupboards. So your cousin is about
to enter the Church?5
'But first I will enter the army!' exclaimed Jan,
CI will serve my God by serving my country!3 His voice
sounded truculent and thick, he was unused to spirits
and was feeling the brandy.
Beauvais nodded: cWe all know how much God
loves the French, but then he apparently also loves
the Germans. One becomes a little bewildered at
times; however. . . .*
cDo I understand you to mean. . . .5 began Jan.
'Monsieur, you do not/ Beauvais smiled.
cAh, bon, I am glad of that!' said Jan loudly.
And meanwhile Beauvais5 bloodshot, amorous eyes
must keep dwelling on ^Eliana's face and bosom. He
addressed her seldom except with his eyes, having
quickly divined that she understood him. And seeing
those all but articulate glances, those long ardent
looks, Jan was suddenly seized by a feeling of uncon-
trollable fury, so that the blood pounded in his head,
so that he must dig his nails into his palms to stop
himself from striking Beauvais5 pale face, while his
own eyes turned hungrily to the girl, perceiving the
fullness and meaning of her beauty. And so great
was the shock of this sexual uprush, this abrupt
desire to possess a woman, that his entrails seemed to
be gripped in a vice; for a moment he felt giddy and
wanted to vomit. Nor could he remember the simplest
prayer, but must just sit staring at ^Eliana.
She noticed it of course, what woman would not?
But her thoughts were concentrated on Christophe.
Ah, now he could see how much she was desired . . .
Beauvais, the wealthy, the celebrated artist. . , „
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