human
Just think, Mademoiselle, how unpleasant it will be for you. You will have to appear in Court, to encounter malicious looks, to speak before everybody, and to recount that unfortunate occurrence in the railway carriage, in public. Do you not think, between ourselves, that it would have been much better for you to have put that dirty scoundrel back into his place without calling for assistance, and merely to have changed your carriage. She began to laugh, and replied:
gpt
What you say is quite true! but what could I do? I was frightened, and when one is frightened, one does not stop to reason with oneself. As soon as I realized the situation, I was very sorry that I had called out, but then it was too late. You must also remember that the idiot threw himself upon me like a madman, without saying a word and looking like a lunatic. I did not even know what he wanted of me.
human
She is a funny sort of a girl, that; I can quite see how that pig Morin came to make a mistake, and I went on, jokingly:
gpt
Come, Mademoiselle, confess that he was excusable, for after all, a man cannot find himself opposite such a pretty girl as you are without feeling a legitimate desire to kiss her.
human
Between the desire and the act, Monsieur, there is room for respect. It was a funny expression to use, although it was not very clear, and I asked abruptly:
gpt
Well now, supposing I were to kiss you now, what would you do? She stopped to look at me from head to foot, and then said calmly:
human
Oh! you? That is quite another matter.
gpt
And why, pray? She shrugged her shoulders, and replied:
human
Well! because you are not so stupid as he is. And then she added, looking at me shyly:
gpt
Nor so ugly, either. And before she could make a movement to avoid me, I had implanted a hearty kiss on her cheek. She sprang aside, but it was too late, and then she said:
human
Well, you are not very bashful, either! But don't do that sort of thing again.
gpt
Oh! Mademoiselle, as for me, if I long for one thing more than another, it is to be summoned before a magistrate for the same reason as Morin.
human
Why? she asked. And looking steadily at her, I replied:
gpt
Because you are one of the most beautiful creatures living; because it would be an honor and a glory for me to have wished to offer you violence, and because people would have said, after seeing you: Well, Labarbe has richly deserved what he has got, but he is a lucky fellow, all the same.
human
How funny you are! And she had not finished the word _funny_, before I had her in my arms, and was kissing her ardently wherever I could find a place, on her forehead, on her eyes, on her lips occasionally, on her cheeks, all over her head, some part of which she was obliged to leave exposed, in spite of herself, to defend others, but at last she managed to release herself, blushing and angry.
gpt
You are very unmannerly, Monsieur, she said,
human
I beg your pardon. I beg your pardon, Mademoiselle. I have offended you; I have acted like a brute! Do not be angry with me for what I have done. If you knew ... I vainly sought for some excuse, and in a few moments she said:
gpt
There is nothing for me to know, Monsieur. But I had found something to say, and I cried:
human
Mademoiselle, I love you!
gpt
Yes, Mademoiselle, and pray listen to me. I do not know Morin, and I do not care anything about him. It does not matter to me the least if he is committed for trial and locked up meanwhile. I saw you here last year, and I was so taken with you, that the thought of you has never left me since, and it does not matter to me whether you believe me or not. I thought you adorable, and the remembrance of you took such a hold on me that I longed to see you again, and so I made use of that fool Morin as a pretext, and here I am. Circumstances have made me exceed the due limits of respect, and I can only beg you to pardon me.
human
You humbug! But I raised my hand, and said in a sincere voice, (and I really believe that I was sincere):
gpt
I swear to you that I am speaking the truth, and she replied quite simply:
human
Really?