No sooner had they sat down in the garden than, without waiting for a sufficient cloak of darkness, Julien put his lips to Madame de Renal's ear, and, at the risk of compromising her horribly, said to her:
À peine fut-on assis au jardin, que, sans attendre une obscurité suffisante, Julien approcha sa bouche de l’oreille de Mme de Rênal, et, au risque de la compromettre horriblement, il lui dit :