He played his part of reptile to this poor Eve so cleverly, he made the fatal bloom of the apple so dazzling to her eyes, that Marie left the ball-room filled with that species of remorse which resembles hope, flattered in all her vanities, stirred to every corner of her heart, caught by her own virtues, allured by her native pity for misfortune.
Perhaps Madame de Manerville had taken Vandenesse into the salon where his wife was talking with Nathan; perhaps he had come there himself to fetch Marie, and take her home; perhaps his conversation with his former flame had awakened slumbering griefs; certain it is that when his wife took his arm to leave the ball-room, she saw that his face was sad and his look serious.

The countess wondered if he was displeased with her.
No sooner were they seated in the carriage than she turned to Felix and said, with a mischievous smile,-- "Did not I see you talking half the evening with Madame de Manerville ?" Felix was not out of the tangled paths into which his wife had led him by this charming little quarrel, when the carriage turned into their court-yard.

This was Marie's first artifice dictated by her new emotion; and she even took pleasure in triumphing over a man who, until then, had seemed to her so superior..