Comedy of Marriage and Other Tales | Page 9

that you have just broken with
one of your mistresses; you need another and you cannot find one, so
you come to me. For nearly three years you have forgotten all about me,
so that now you find I am somewhat of a novelty. It is not your wife
you are seeking now, but a woman with whom you have formerly had a
rupture, and with whom you now desire to make up. To speak the truth
you are simply playing the game of a libertine.
M. DE SALLUS
I do not ask you whether you be my wife or not my wife. You are the
woman I love, the woman who possesses my heart. You are the woman

of whom I dream, whose image follows me everywhere, whom I
continually desire. It happens that you are my wife. So much the worse,
or so much the better. What matters it?
MME. DE SALLUS
Truly, it is a distinguished part that you offer me. After Mademoiselle
Zozo, after Mademoiselle Lilie, Mademoiselle Tata, you have the
audacity to offer to your wife--to Madame de Sallus--the place left
vacant, asking her to become her husband's mistress for a short space of
time.
M. DE SALLUS
No; now, and--forever.
MME. DE SALLUS
Pardon me. You ask that I should re-become your wife forever? That is
out of the question; I have already ceased to entertain the idea. The
reason may be obscure, but nevertheless it is real; and after all, the idea
of making me your legitimate mistress seems to be far more
entertaining to you than assuming the rôle of a faithful husband.
M. DE SALLUS [_laughs_]
Well, why should not the wife become the husband's mistress? You are
right in what you say; you are absolutely free and I own my faults. Yet,
I am in love with you-for the second time, if you will-and I say to you,
here and now, Madeline, since you confess that your heart is empty,
have pity upon me, for I tell you that I love you.
MME. DE SALLUS
And you ask me to give you a husband's right?
M. DE SALLUS
I do.
MME. DE SALLUS
And you acknowledge that I am free, absolutely free?
M. DE SALLUS
I do.
MME. DE SALLUS
And you really wish me to become your mistress?
M. DE SALLUS
I do.
MME. DE SALLUS
You understand what I mean--your mistress?

M. DE SALLUS
Yes.
MME. DE SALLUS [_sarcastically_]
Well, well! I think I would rather accept another offer that I have, but
since you are good enough to ask me to give you the preference, I may
give it to you--for a fair sum.
M. DE SALLUS
What do you mean?
MME. DE SALLUS
Just what I say. Listen! Do you consider me as attractive as any of your
mistresses? Now, be frank with me.
M. DE SALLUS
A thousand times more!
MME. DE SALLUS
Really!
M. DE SALLUS
I swear it!
MME. DE SALLUS
What, better than the best?
M. DE SALLUS
A thousand times!
MME. DE SALLUS
Well, tell me, now, truly, how much has the one you liked best among
all your numerous mistresses cost you, let us say--in three months?
M. DE SALLUS
I cannot tell.
MME. DE SALLUS
Listen to me. I repeat the question. How much has the most charming
of your numerous mistresses cost you in the space of three months--not
only in money, but in gifts of jewelry, in dainty little suppers, in
ceremonious dinners, in theater boxes,--in everything?
M. DE SALLUS
How can I tell?
MME. DE SALLUS
You should be able to. Come, let us make an estimate. Did you give her
a round sum, or did you pay for everything separately? However, I
know you are not a man to bother over details, so I conclude that you

gave her a round sum.
M. DE SALLUS
Madeline, you are absolutely unbearable.
MME. DE SALLUS
Follow me closely. When you began to neglect me, you took away
three horses from our stables--one of them was mine and the other two
were yours. Then you took away a coachman and a footman; you then
found it necessary to make me economize at home in order that you
might be extravagant abroad.
M. DE SALLUS
That is not true.
MME. DE SALLUS
Oh! yes, it is. I have every date; do not deny it, for I shall confound you
if you do. You also stopped giving me jewels, for, of course, you had
other ears, other fingers, other wrists, and other necks to adorn. You
also deprived me of one of my nights at the Opéra, and I do not know
how many other things less important. And all this, according to my
idea, should mean about five thousand francs a month.