she had had no opportunity of writing to the civil servant for a long time, for he gave signs of life only by an occasional post-card. That seemed to her suspicious and made her sad. When he had last written he was at Cherbourg, but he had given no address.
"He looks like a man who wants to get married. Married! he's not capable of satisfying a woman. All the same, I like him. And besides, I should miss him for other reasons."
This woman, with her commonplace life, her commonplace brain, had an agreeable voice, a delicate face, intelligence in her eyes and a sort of natural elegance. Leonor felt a violent desire for her.
"I am spending several days here," he said.
"So am I."
"Shouldn't we spend them together?"
She gave a pretty laugh, allowed herself to be entreated and accepted, after having once more examined Leonor with a sagacious eye. The proposition accepted, she offered him her lips, looked at the time on a minute watch and got up, saying:
"Let's go and have dinner. We must hurry to get a little table."
