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?‰mile, 1840-1902

"Theresa Raquin"

The Almighty would not permit Laurent to press her to his bosom;
she fully anticipated he would be struck down if he displayed such
monstrous impudence. But no spring came into action, and heaven reserved
its lightning. Madame Raquin remained huddled up and passive like
a bundle of linen. She was grasped, raised and carried along by the
assassin; she experienced the anguish of feeling herself feeble and
abandoned in the arms of the murderer of Camille. Her head rolled on to
the shoulder of Laurent, whom she observed with eyes increased in volume
by horror.
"You may look at me," he murmured. "Your eyes will not eat me."
And he cast her brutally on the bed. The impotent old lady fell
unconscious on the mattress. Her last thought had been one of terror and
disgust. In future, morning and night, she would have to submit to the
vile pressure of the arms of Laurent.

CHAPTER XXVII
A shock of terror alone had made the married pair speak, and avow their
crime in the presence of Madame Raquin. Neither one nor the other was
cruel; they would have avoided such a revelation out of feelings of
humanity, had not their own security already made it imperative on their
part to maintain silence.


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