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PIERRE AND LUCE
49
"Why, of course. Am I wrong in that?"
"Oh, no! It is so jolly that you do live. . . ."
"And you, you don't love it also?"
"I did not, up to the time . . ."
"Up to the time?"
(This question did not call for an answer. Both of them knew it.)
Following up his thought, Pierre:
"You just said 'first of all.' . . . 'I want to live, first of all.' . . . And what then? What else do you wish?"
"I don't know."
"Yes, you do know . . . "
"You are very indiscreet."
"Yes, very."
"It embarrasses me to tell you . . ."
"Tell me in my ear. No one will overhear."
She smiled:
"I would like . . ." (she hesitated).
"I would like just a little bit of happiness . . ."
(They were quite close the one to the other.)