But she escaped, and he wanted to brazen the matter out. Approaching the picture, he raised his hand in search of the nail, but the portrait gave such a long, crushing, ignoble look, that Laurent after seeking to stare it out, found himself vanquished, and started back overpowered, murmuring as he did so:
Elle s'échappa, et il voulut se payer d'audace; il s'approcha du tableau, levant la main, cherchant le clou. Mais le portrait eut un regard si écrasant, si ignoble, si long, que Laurent, après avoir voulu lutter de fixité avec lui, fut vaincu et recula, accablé, en murmurant: