And I had the key to that woman's apartment，and in three or four hours she would be mine once more！
We decry men who ruin themselves for actresses and kept women；what surprises me is that they do not commit twenty times as many follies for them.You need to have lived that kind of life，as I have，to understand just how strongly all those little gratifications of vanity which a mistress provides each day can weld to a man's heart，for want of a better word，the love which he has for her.
Then Prudence took her seat in the box and a man，who I recognized as Count de G，sat down at the back.
When I saw him，my heart went cold.
No doubt Marguerite noticed what effect the presence of this man in her box was having on me，for she smiled at me once more and，turning her back on the Count，appeared to be concentrating hard on the play.When the third interval began，she turned round and spoke briefly；the Count left the box，and Marguerite signalled me to come and see her.
'Good evening，'she said as I entered，and she held out her hand.
'Good evening，'I replied，directing the greeting at both Marguerite and Prudence.
'Do sit down.'
'But this is someone's seat.Isn't Count de G coming back？'
'Yes.I sent him off to fetch me some sweets so that we could have a moment alone to talk.Madame Duvernoy knows everything.'
'Yes，my children，'said she.'But don't worry.I shan't tell.'
'What's wrong with you this evening？'said Marguerite，rising and coming into the dark back of the box where she kissed me on the forehead.
'I'm not feeling too well.'
'You should go to bed，'she went on，with that ironic expression which went so well with her fine，quick-witted head.
'Whose？'
'Yours.'
'You know very well that I shan't sleep.'
'In that case，you shouldn't come here sulking just because you saw a man in my box.'
'That's not the reason.'
'Oh yes it is，I know all about such things and you're wrong.Let's not say any more about it.After the play，come to Prudence's and stay there until I call you.Understood？'
'Yes.'
Did I have any choice but to obey？
'Do you still love me？'she went on.
'How can you ask！'
'Have you thought about me？'
'All day long.'
'Do you know something？I'm seriously beginning to be afraid I could fall in love with you.You'd better ask Prudence.'
'Ah！'Prudence cried heartily，'stop pestering me！'
'Now，you are to go back to your seat in the stalls.The Count will return at any minute and there's nothing to be gained if he finds you here.'
'Why not？'
'Because you don't much like seeing him.'
'It's not that.It's just that if you had told me you wanted to come to the Vaudeville this evening，I could have sent you tickets for a box every bit as well as he could.'
'Unfortunately，he brought them round without my asking him to，and offered to escort me.You know very well I couldn't refuse.The most I could do was to write and let you know where I was going，because then you could see me，and because I wanted to see you sooner rather than later.But if that's the thanks I get，let it be a lesson to me.'
'I was wrong.Do forgive me！'
'Very well.Go back to your seat like a good boy，and for heaven's sake no more jealous scenes！'
She kissed me again，and I left.
In the corridor，I met the Count on his way back.
I returned to my seat.
After all，the presence of Monsier de G in Marguerite's box was the most uncomplicated thing.He had been her lover，he brought her tickets for a box，he came to the play with her it was all very natural，and the moment I took a girl like Marguerite as my mistress，I had no alternative but to accept her ways.
All the same，such considerations did not make me any the less wretched for the rest of the evening，and I felt extremely miserable as I left，having seen Prudence，the Count and Marguerite stepping into the barouche which stood waiting for them at the door.
Even so，a quarter of an hour later I was at Prudence's.She had returned only a moment before.
