It was with the lie that they had eaten and drunk
and talked and laughed, that they had waited for their carriole
rather impatiently, and had then got into the vehicle and, sensibly
subsiding, driven their three or four miles through the darkening
summer night. The eating and drinking, which had been a resource,
had had the effect of having served its turn; the talk and laughter
had done as much; and it was during their somewhat tedious progress
to the station, during the waits there, the further delays, their
submission to fatigue, their silences in the dim compartment of the
much-stopping train, that he prepared himself for reflexions to come.
It had been a performance, Madame de Vionnet's manner, and though
it had to that degree faltered toward the end, as through her ceasing
to believe in it, as if she had asked herself, or Chad had found
a moment surreptitiously to ask her, what after all was the use,
a performance it had none the less quite handsomely remained,
with the final fact about it that it was on the whole easier to
keep up than to abandon.
From the point of view of presence of mind it had been very
wonderful indeed, wonderful for readiness, for beautiful assurance,
for the way her decision was taken on the spot, without time to
confer with Chad, without time for anything.
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