Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Part II - III
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
THE CONFESSION OF A FOOL 163
The press—which had been well-managed—confirmed
her success, and an engagement seemed likely to follow.
Two photographers fought for the honour of being-
permitted to photograph the débutante. A successful
little magazine sold the portrait of the new star, together
with her biography.
What struck me most in looking at these new portraits
was the fact that not one of them resembled the old one
in my possession. Was it possible that her character, the
expression of her face, could have changed in so short a
time, in a year ? Or was she a different woman when she
reflected the love, the tenderness, the compassion which
my eyes radiated as soon as I looked at her ? The expres-
sion of her face on these portraits was vulgar, hard and
insolent, every feature expressed a cruel coquetry, a
challenge. One pose in particular disgusted me. She
was represented leaning over the back of a low chair in
such a manner that the beholder could see her bosom,
which was only partly hidden by a fan resting against the
upper part of her dress. Her eyes seemed riveted on the
eyes of an invisible person, not myself, for my love,
coupled with respect and tenderness, never caressed her
with the shameless sensuality which roused in her the
passion of a wanton. The photograph reminded me of
those obscene pictures which are furtively offered to the
passers-by at the doors of low coffee-houses under cover
of the night.
When she offered me this portrait I refused to accept it.
" What! " she exclaimed in a piteous voice, which for
a moment revealed her carefully concealed want of true
refinement, " you refuse my photograph ? Then you don’t
love me any more !
"
When a woman says to her lover, " You don’t love
me any more," she has already ceased to love him.
I knew from this moment that her love was growing
M 2
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
