He began stammering in extreme embarrassment; whereupon she gave him a short moral lecture.

However, neither of them risked a decisive explanation.

It was religion, they pretended, which required this process of mutual forgiveness, and they agreed by a tacit understanding to retain their freedom.

Before going to bed, seeing that the countess still appeared to hesitate, they had a business conversation, and the count was the first to speak of selling the Bordes.

She consented at once.