human
Oh! you're not the one I have a grudge against; but that monster, that ungrateful wretch! Can you conceive such a thing as his making a fool of me again?
gpt
Who, pray?
human
Why, Albert, monsieur--your friend Albert.
gpt
Oh! Albert--it's so long since I saw him.
human
Well, I have seen him again, I have had that happiness. I didn't want to receive him, I had given orders that he wasn't to be admitted--and if it hadn't been for that idiot of a Monsieur Plays!
gpt
I am very curious to hear the story.
human
Very well; I will take your arm, and tell it to you.
gpt
Ah! how kind you are!
human
And perhaps----
gpt
Perhaps---- Oh! please finish the sentence, divine creature----
human
First of all, I want to be revenged on Albert, I give you warning; and the man who should avenge me--oh! I don't know what I would not do for him!
gpt
O God! you have given me a glimpse of heaven, of Olympus! I will avenge you, I give you my word; yes, I will avenge you twice over; you will see what an avenger I am!
human
Enough! Bless my heart, what a libertine you are! You think at once of things that----
gpt
And what do you expect a man to think of when he's beside a pretty woman?--of roasting coffee?
human
Yes, monsieur, yes, I saw Albert four days ago; he called on me, and I refused to receive him. Then what does he do? He goes to see my husband, and makes himself at home in his office;--my husband is so foolishly good-natured! he made Albert welcome, and I went there, by chance, and found him there with a lovely bouquet. He made such repentant eyes at me, that I was kind-hearted enough to allow myself to be moved. In a word, I consented to let him go with me to my boudoir; there he said--some pleasant things--nothing to speak of--then begged me to show him the lovely cashmere shawl that I wore at Count Dahlborne's party. I yielded to that caprice, and monsieur went away, making an appointment with me for the next day, which he did not keep.
gpt
That was abominable!
human
But that is not all. I have learned since that he has bought the only shawl like mine in Paris, probably to give it to some woman who was pleased with mine. So, you see, he came back to me solely to see my shawl; and, since then, I have written to him six times, and he has not come again, nor has he even deigned to write a word in reply!
gpt
Ah! such conduct is very blameworthy.
human
Say rather that it is worthy of a street urchin.
gpt
I dared not say it, but I thought so. And you, who deserve to be so madly adored! As for the letter of the other day, I had not read it; I handed it to you in all confidence. If I had known that it contained anything offensive, you must be convinced that I would not have undertaken to deliver it.
human
I believe you. But to come just to see the shawl, to buy one like it to give to some woman, to make an appointment with me and not keep it, and not to answer a single one of my letters--oh! that is too much, and I am an outraged woman! that is to say, monsieur, I must have blood! For lack of a better champion, I would have appealed to my husband; I would have worked him up to the point of fighting with Albert. Yes, he would have fought, for he does everything I want him to. But, all things considered, I prefer that he should not be the one to avenge me; that wouldn't be exciting enough; and as you offer yourself, I accept you.