"Yes," said Colombe with a smile, "it's true that your love gives him everything that is not love."
"Enough, enough of this insulting comparison!" cried the duchess violently, feeling that she was losing ground step by step.
Thereupon ensued a momentary pause, during which Colombe seemed to feel no embarrassment, while Madame d'Etampes succeeded in concealing hers only by revealing her anger. However, her features gradually relaxed, her faee assumed a milder expression, lightened by a gleam of real or feigned benevolence. She was the first to reopen the conflict which she did not propose should end otherwise than in a triumph.
"Let us see, Colombe," said she in a tone that was almost affectionate, "if some one should bid you sacrifice your life for him, what would you do?"
"Ah! I would give it to him blissfully!"
"And so would I!" cried the duchess with an accent which proved the violence of her passion, if not the sincerity of the sacrifice.
"But your honor," she continued, "would you sacrifice that as well as your life?"
"If by my honor you mean my reputation, yes; if by my honor you mean my virtue, no."
"What! you do not belong to him? is he not your lover?"
"He is my fiancé, madame; that is all."