They found the bottle and tasted it. Then they put everything back in its place. They were like children. Antonio became merry, and, without making a noise, began also to amuse himself. They returned to the drawing-room, and Regina partly opened the shutters. A green light illuminated one corner. Regina pretended to be holding a reception, mimicked the voice of the pretty blind lady, then lolled on Madame's favourite sofa. It was covered with grey fur, and suggested an immense sleeping cat. In her soft dress, her hair falling loose on her forehead, her eyes burning, and it seemed artificially darkened, she looked, in the green penumbra, a real, great lady, _blasée_, lost in an unwholesome dream. Antonio meantime tried to open the door which led to the terrace and the garden. "Wait a bit," said Regina. "Let's look round up-stairs first. Have you ever been up-stairs?" "I? Never." "Well, come now. Leave that door locked. Come here. I want to tell you something!" she said, childishly. "What is it? I'm looking for the key." As if guessing her idea, he did not come to the lure. Then she felt blaze up the wicked doubt which persecuted her. Yes, in this room, perhaps on this very divan, Antonio had stained his lips with hateful kisses! She bit her lips to repress a shudder, then rose and hastened to the next room. "Let's go in there. Never mind that door." He crossed the room and joined her. Cat-like, Regina threw herself on his breast and kissed him. Illusion of the light? It seemed to her that Antonio's face became green, and she believed she had intuition of the drama evolving in his soul. Yes! he must at this moment be remembering something nauseous! an embrace, a kiss, which had stained his soul with infamy! Here, in this place to kiss the lips of his wife must be castigation for him! Her delirium was increasing. "Kiss me!" she imposed upon her husband, fixing on him eyes of tragic flame, and drawing him towards the divan. He certainly resisted; but he kissed her, his lips still scented with the wine. Then Regina, on fire with the madness of her doubt, believed the moment had come for tearing the vile secret from those lips, whose kisses gave her mortal anguish in this place where every object must remind Antonio of his miserable error. But she was unable to formulate her horrible demand.