She wanted to hear about
Joyselle.
"_Bon._ And then, when I was twenty, and he eighteen, he came back from
Rouen where, did I tell you?--M. de Cerisay had sent him to learn to
play the violin--and he told me he wanted me to marry him. He was very
splendid then, with city clothes, and oil on his hair, and his hands
smooth as a gentleman's.
"We were married at St. Gervais. Then he went back to Rouen and he
studied again. That," she added, "was the worst time of my life."
"But why?"
The elder woman looked up. "Because--I was just getting to know him,"
she returned slowly, "and--he was very wild."
Brigit nodded sympathetically. "Poor you," she said in English.
"Yes. The music made him half-mad, and then he had friends who taught
him to gamble. There were other things, too. Women. He was so handsome
and so fascinating, and his success was just beginning, they all ran
after him, and he enjoyed it. I," she added, "didn't. Then we went to
Paris. That was bad, too, only Theo was on the way, which made things
better. He was good to me during my illness--ah, very good; and
beautiful it was to see the big strong man, mad with his music and his
success, washing the little baby and dressing him.
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