‘Above all, don't apologize!' She looked up at him, her face trembling with humility. 'The night of the opening and in the days that followed, I came to understand a great many things. There's no standard by which you can be measured against other people, against me. To want you as I had dreamed of you and not as you are was to prefer myself to you. It was pure presumptuousness. But that's over. There's only you; I'm nothing. I accept being nothing, and I'll accept anything from you.'

'Listen, stop getting excited,' he said, embarrassed. 'I said we'd talk about it tomorrow.'

'You don't believe I'm sincere?' Paula said. 'It's my fault; I had too much pride. The road of self-abnegation isn't easy, you know. But I swear to you now: I'll ask nothing more for myself. You alone exist, and you can demand anything of me.'

'My God!' Henri thought. 'If only she'll leave before Lenoir gets here!' Aloud, he said, 'I believe you. But all I ask of you for the moment is to be patient until tomorrow and let me get back to my work.'