I think I should 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 Périer. ‘We’ve been defeated and we must

accept the consequences. We’re 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 Périer was getting exasperated.

187#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 Périer.

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 Périer 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.’