She was dazzled, she did not hurry to
understand. One could not choose, one floated free of preference, all
men were strangers.
"One day I shall know what they are, how they live, how they think." But
she did not want that day to come.
The Commandant Dormans said: "You do not regret Bar-le-Duc?"
"No, no, no."
"I hear you are all voracious for work. I hear that if you do not drive
from morning to night we cannot hope to keep you with us!"
Denis said to her: "Be careful of him! He believes there is no end to
the human strength."
She replied joyously: "There is no end to our strength!"
When she had eyes to see, to watch, to choose, she found that there was
in the room a man who was graceful and young, whose eyes were a peculiar
shape, who laughed all the time gently as he danced. He never looked at
her, never came near her. This young man was indifferent to her, he was
indifferent to her ... Soon he became a trouble and a pleasure to her.
With whom was he dancing now ... and now? Who was it that amused him?
His eyes and his hair were bright ... but there were many around her
whose eyes and hair were as bright. Before she had seen that young man
laugh her pleasure had been more complete.
While she was talking to Denis a voice said to her: "Won't you dance
with me?"
Looking up she saw who it was.
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