The chin strap of his kepi was gilt,
and on his sleeve there was a little strip of gold. His smile, his
outstretched hands, the confidence with which he advanced toward her
made her recognize him. Rene an officer! Her betrothed a sub-lieutenant!
"Yes, of course! I could do nothing else. . . . I had heard enough!"
Without his father's knowledge, and assisted by his friends, he had in
a few days, wrought this wonderful transformation. As a graduate of
the Ecole Centrale, he held the rank of a sub-lieutenant of the Reserve
Artillery, and he had requested to be sent to the front. Good-bye to the
auxiliary service! . . . Within two days, he was going to start for the
war.
"You have done this!" exclaimed Chichi. "You have done this!"
Although very pale, she gazed fondly at him with her great eyes--eyes
that seemed to devour him with admiration.
"Come here, my poor boy. . . . Come here, my sweet little soldier! . . .
I owe you something."
And turning her back on the maid, she asked him to come with her round
the corner. It was just the same there. The cross street was just as
thronged as the avenue. But what did she care for the stare of the
curious! Rapturously she flung her arms around his neck, blind and
insensible to everything and everybody but him.
"There. . . . There!" And she planted on his face two vehement,
sonorous, aggressive kisses.
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