At heart she is, perhaps, quite simply a crazy romantic or a comedian.

It amuses her to manufacture little adventures, to throw tantalizing obstacles in the way of the realization of a vulgar desire.
And Chantelouve?
He is probably aware of his wife's goings on, which perhaps facilitate his career.

Otherwise, how could she arrange to come here at nine o'clock at night, instead of the morning or afternoon on pretence of going shopping ?" To this new question there could be no answer, and little by little he ceased to interrogate himself on the point.

He began to be obsessed by the real woman as he had been by the imaginary creature.

The latter had completely vanished.