Page:Des Grieux, The Prelude to Teleny.djvu/102

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they were too busy with their own work to listen to anything.

Now he puffed and he panted and then he almost swooned with delight, for the only woman he had known was a bawdy young scullery maid, a filly that had been ridden by the whole neighbourhood.

Camille—after the astringent injections she had taken only smarted from the wounds she had received two evenings before—sobbed out of shame, pain and disgust.

Gaston—having done cock's work—rose from the bed as elated and vainglorious as a young chicken that has futtered his father's old hen and that crows and struts about exulting in the deed he has done.

She—humbled, defeated and disheartened, loathed herself for having vilely deceived a man for whom she had always felt a strong sisterly affection, and sickened at the thought that she had allowed herself to play the part of a strumpet, moreover she felt irritated with him for having been such a fool; she therefore hid her head in the pillow, and went off into a fit of convulsive sobs.

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