"You are thinking, 'Why did he marry her, then?' The woman lies, yes, I know it. Her whole body is a lie, from the roots of her hair to the tips of her nails. Well, the odd thing is that I took her for that very reason. It is almost the reason why I love her. When falsehood is as perfect an art as that it deserves a good theatre. . . . (Don't we know that the theatre, that almost all art, lies, except in the case of a few freaks who bewilder their confrères; then the confrères say that they are not artists, that they ruin the trade.) If the world is a lie, at least we have the right to demand that the lie shall be pleasant. Everything considered, I prefer for my satisfaction and my society those who lie prettily. They don't take me in. I see through them. Noémi's grace is as artificial as her sentiments. But she makes a success of it. She does me credit. I enjoy it when I come home in the evening with my eyes befouled by the cutting up of spoiled meat. She is like laughing water. I bathe in it. Let her lie! It is of no importance. If she spoke the truth she would have nothing to say." "You are hard. She loves you." "No doubt, and I love her too." "If you love her, why do you need me?" "I love her in her own way." "That's a great deal." "A great deal for her, perhaps. It's not much for me." "But can I give you what she gives you?" "You are not a toy." "I should like to be a toy, too. Life is a game." "Yes, but you believe in it. You are one of those players who take the game seriously." "So are you." "Because I wish to do so." "How do you know that I too don't wish to do so?" "Well, let's wish together!" "I don't want a happiness that is built on ruins. I have suffered. I don't want to cause suffering." "All life is bought with suffering. Every happiness in nature is built upon ruins. In the end everything is ruined. At least we can have built something!" "I can't make up my mind to sacrifice another person. Poor little Noémi!" "She would have less pity if she had you under her feet." "I suppose so. But she loves you, and to me it is a crime to kill a love." "Whether you wished it or not, it's done now. Your presence has killed it." "You think of nothing but yourself." "No one thinks of anything but himself in love." "No, no, that's not true. I think of myself, of you, of the woman who loves you, of everything that you love and everything that I love. I should like my love to be good and full of joy for everyone." "Love is a duel. If you look to the right or the left you are lost. Look straight before you into your adversary's eyes." "My adversary?" "I." "You are indeed, but I don't fear you. But Noémi is not my adversary. She has done me no harm. Can I come into her life and destroy it?" "Would it be better to lie to her?" "Deceive her? Far better to destroy her! . . . Or destroy me. Renounce." "You will not renounce." "How do you know?" "Women like you never renounce through weakness."