Avarice - Anger: Two of the Seven Cardinal Sins

"I dressed early, you see, so as to be able to remain with you until the very last moment."

"Don't leave me this evening, Yvon."

"What?"

"Give up this fête for my sake."

"You cannot mean it, surely."

"Stay at home with me."

"But, Jenny, you yourself insisted that — "

"That you should accept the invitation. That is true. This very morning I was rejoicing that you were going to have this diversion, — you who lead such an extremely quiet life."

"Then why have you changed your mind so suddenly?"

"How can I tell?" responded the young wife, much embarrassed. "It is only an absurd and senseless whim on my part, doubtless. All I know is that you would make me happy, oh, very happy, if you would do what I ask, absurd and ridiculous as it may appear to you."

"My poor darling," Yvon said, tenderly, after a moment's reflection, "in your condition, and nervous as you are, I can easily understand why you should, in spite of your good sense, be beset with all sorts of contradictory notions, and that you should be averse in the evening to what you most wished for in the morning. Do you suppose I should think of such a thing as blaming you for that?"

"You are the best and most kind-hearted man in the world, Yvon!" exclaimed the young wife, her eyes filling with tears of joy, for she felt sure now that her husband was going to accede to her wishes. "There are not many men who would be so patient with the whims of a poor woman who knows neither what she wants nor why she wants it."

"But in my character of physician I do, you see," replied Yvon, kissing his wife's brow tenderly. "Look," he added, glancing at the clock, "it is now nine o'clock; ten minutes to go, ten to return, and a quarter of an hour to remain at the ball, — it is a matter of three-quarters of an hour at most. I will be back here by ten o'clock, I promise you."

"What, Yvon, you persist in your determination to attend this entertainment?"

"Just to show myself there, that is all."

"I beg you will not, Yvon."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't go."

"What! not even for a few moments?"

"Do not leave me this evening, I entreat you."

"But, be reasonable, Jenny."

"Make this slight sacrifice for my sake, I implore you."

"But, Jenny, this is childish."

"Call it childishness, idiocy, what you will, but don't leave me this evening."

"Jenny, love, it breaks my heart to see you so unreasonable, for I am obliged to refuse you."

"Yvon — "

"It is absolutely necessary for me to show myself at this entertainment, though I need remain only a few moments."

"But, my dear Yvon — "

A flush of impatience mounted to Cloarek's brow, nevertheless he controlled himself, and said to his wife in the same affectionate though slightly reproachful tone:

"Such persistency on your part surprises me, Jenny. You know I am not in the habit of having to be begged. On the contrary, I have always endeavoured to anticipate your wishes, so spare me the annoyance of being obliged to say 'no' to you for the first time in my life."

"Great Heavens!" exclaimed the now thoroughly distressed woman, "to think of your attaching so much importance to a mere pleasure — "

"Pleasure!" exclaimed Yvon, bitterly, his eyes kindling. Then restraining himself, he added:

"If it were a question of pleasure, you would not have been obliged to ask me but once, Jenny."

"But if you are not going for pleasure, why do you go at all?"

"I am going for appearance's sake," replied Yvon, promptly.

"In that case, can't you let appearances go, just this once, for my sake?"

"I must attend this entertainment, Jenny," said Yvon, whose face had become purple now; "I must and shall, so say no more about it."

"And I say that you shall not," exclaimed the young woman, unable to conceal her alarm any longer; "for there must be some grave reason that you are concealing from me to make you persist in refusing, when you are always so kind and affectionate to me."

"Jenny!" exclaimed Cloarek, stamping his foot, angrily, for this opposition was intensely exasperating to a person of his irascible nature, "not another word! Do you hear me? Not another word!"

"Listen to me, Yvon," said his wife, with dignity. "I shall resort to subterfuge no longer. It is unworthy of us both. I am afraid, yes, afraid for you to go to this fête, for I have been told that your presence there might cause trouble."

"Who told you that? who said that? Answer me!" cried Cloarek, in a more and more angry tone, and so loudly that the child in the crib woke. "Why should you feel afraid? You have heard something, then, I suppose."

"There is something, then, Yvon," cried the poor woman, more and more alarmed. "There is some terrible thing that you are keeping from me!"

Yvon remained silent and motionless for a moment, for a violent struggle was going on in his breast, but calmness and reason finally conquered, and approaching his wife to kiss her before going out, he said:

"I shall return almost immediately, Jenny. You will not have to wait for me long."

But the young woman hastily sprang up, and, before her husband could make a movement to prevent it, she had run to the door, locked it, and removed the key; then turning to Yvon, she said, with all the energy of despair:

"You shall not leave this room. We will see if you dare to come and take this key from me."

Utterly stupefied at first, then exasperated beyond expression by Jenny's determined action, he gave way to his anger to such an extent that his features became unrecognisable. The flush that had suffused his face was succeeded by a livid pallor, his eyes became bloodshot, and, advancing threateningly toward his wife, he exclaimed, in a terrible voice:

"The key! give me the key!"

"No, I will save you in spite of yourself," replied Jenny, intrepidly.

"Wretch!" cried Cloarek, now completely beside himself.