die happy if I could find a way to wound him as he's wounded me."
"You're being very silly, my poor child."
"Your mother's right, my girl," said Perier. "We've been defeated and we must accept the consequences. We've got to make the best arrangement we can with the conquerors. We're cleverer than they are and if we play our cards well we shall come out on top. France was rotten. It's the Jews and the plutocrats who ruined the country. Read the papers and you'll see for yourself!"
"Do you think I believe a word in that paper? Why do you think he brings it to you except that it's sold to the Germans? The men who write in it - traitors, traitors. Oh God, may I live to see them torn to pieces by the mob. Bought, bought every one of them - bought with German money. The swine."
Madame Perier was getting exasperated.
"What have you got against the boy? He took you by force - yes, he was drunk at the time. It's not the first time that's happened to a woman and it won't be the last time. He hit your father and he bled like a pig, but does your father bear him malice?"
"It was an unpleasant incident, but I've forgotten it," said Perier.
Annette burst into harsh laughter.
"You should have been a priest. You forgive injuries with a spirit truly Christian."
"And what is there wrong about that?" asked Madame Perier angrily. "Hasn't he done everything he could to make amends? Where would your father have got his tobacco all these months if it hadn't been for him? If we haven't gone hungry it's owing to him."
"If you'd had any pride, if you'd had any sense of decency, you'd have thrown his presents in his face."
"You've profited by them, haven't you?"
"Never. Never."
"It's a lie and you know it. You've refused to eat the cheese he brought and the butter and the sardines. But the soup you've eaten, you know I put the meat in it that he brought; and the salad you ate tonight, if you didn't have to eat it dry, it's because he brought me oil."
Annette sighed deeply. She passed her hand over her eyes.
"I know. I tried not to, I couldn't help myself, I was so hungry. Yes, I knew his meat went into the soup and I ate it. I knew the salad was made with his oil. I wanted to refuse it; I had such a longing for it, it wasn't I that ate it, it was a ravenous beast within me."
"That's neither here nor there. You ate it."
"With shame. With despair. They broke our strength first with their tanks and their planes, and now when we're defenceless they're breaking our spirit by starving us."
"You get nowhere by being theatrical, my girl. For an educated woman you have really no sense. Forget the past and give a father to your child, to say nothing of a good workman for the farm who'll be worth two hired men. That is sense."
Annette shrugged her shoulders wearily and they lapsed into silence. Next day Hans came. Annette gave him a sullen look, but neither spoke nor moved. Hans smiled.
"Thank you for not running away," he said.
"My parents asked you to come and they've gone down to the village. It suits me because I want to have a definite talk with you. Sit down."
He took off his coat and his helmet and drew a chair to the table.
"My parents want me to marry you. You've been clever; with your presents, with your promises, you've got round them. They believe all they read in the papers you bring them. I want to tell you that I will never marry you. I wouldn't have thought it possible that I could hate a human being as I hate you."
"Let me speak in German. You understand enough to know what I'm saying."
"I ought to. I taught it. For two years I was governess to two little girls in Stuttgart."
He broke into German, but she went on speaking French.
"It's not only that I love you, I admire you. I admire your distinction and your grace. There's something about you I don't understand. I respect you. Oh, I can see that you don't want to marry me now even if it were possible. But Pierre is dead."
"Don't speak of him," she cried violendy. "That would be the last straw."
"I only want to tell you that for your sake I'm sorry he died."
"Shot in cold blood