She was swooning but vigilantly listening.

Gently she disengaged herself, sighing, while he, embarrassed, sat down at a little distance from her, clenching and unclenching his hands.
They spoke of banal things: she boasting of her maid, who would go through fire for her, he responding only by gestures of approbation and surprise.
Then suddenly she passed her hands over her forehead.

"Ah!" she said, "I suffer cruelly when I think that he is there working.

No, it would cost me too much remorse.

What I say is foolish, but if he were a different man, a man who went out more and made conquests, it would not be so bad." He was irritated by the inconsequentiality of her plaints.