第9章

Thismanisreallyveryhandsome。Hetalksadmirably，andhasremarkableintellectualpower。Mydear，heisaveryBossuetinforceandpersuasivenesswhenheexplainsthemechanism，notonlyoftheSpanishtongue，butalsoofhumanthoughtandofalllanguage。HismothertongueseemstobeFrench。WhenIexpressedsurpriseatthis，herepliedthathecametoFrancewhenquiteaboy，followingtheKingofSpaintoValencay。

Whathaspassedwithinthisenigmaticbeing？Heisnolongerthesameman。Hecame，dressedquitesimply，butjustasanygentlemanwouldforamorningwalk。Heputforthallhiseloquence，andflashedwit，likeraysfromabeacon，allthroughthelesson。Likeamanrousedfromlethargy，herevealedtomeanewworldofthoughts。HetoldmethestoryofsomepoordevilofavaletwhogaveuphislifeforasingleglancefromaqueenofSpain。

“Whatcouldhedobutdie？“Iexclaimed。

Thisdelightedhim，andhelookedatmeinawaywhichwastrulyalarming。

IntheeveningIwenttoaballattheDuchessedeLenoncourt’s。ThePrincedeTalleyrandhappenedtobethere；andIgotM。deVandenesse，acharmingyoungman，toaskhimwhether，amongtheguestsathiscountry-placein1809，herememberedanyoneofthenameofHenarez。

VandenessereportedthePrince’sreply，wordforword，asfollows：

“HenarezistheMoorishnameoftheSoriafamily，whoare，theysay，descendantsoftheAbencerrages，convertedtoChristianity。TheoldDukeandhistwosonswerewiththeKing。Theeldest，thepresentDukedeSoria，hasjusthadallhisproperty，titles，anddignitiesconfiscatedbyKingFerdinand，whointhiswayavengesalong-standingfeud。TheDukemadeahugemistakeinconsentingtoformaconstitutionalministrywithValdez。Happily，heescapedfromCadizbeforethearrivaloftheDucd’Angouleme，who，withthebestwillintheworld，couldnothavesavedhimfromtheKing’swrath。“

Thisinformationgavememuchfoodforreflection。IcannotdescribetoyouthesuspenseinwhichIpassedthetimetillmynextlesson，whichtookplacethismorning。

DuringthefirstquarterofanhourIexaminedhimclosely，debatinginwardlywhetherheweredukeorcommoner，withoutbeingabletocometoanyconclusion。Heseemedtoreadmyfanciesastheyaroseandtotakepleasureinthwartingthem。AtlastIcouldendureitnolonger。

Puttingdownmybooksuddenly，IbrokeoffthetranslationIwasmakingofitaloud，andsaidtohiminSpanish：

“Youaredeceivingus。Youarenopoormiddle-classLiberal。YouaretheDukedeSoria!“

“Mademoiselle，“hereplied，withagestureofsorrow，“unhappily，IamnottheDucdeSoria。“

Ifeltallthedespairwithwhichheutteredtheword“unhappily。“Ah!

mydear，nevershouldIhaveconceiveditpossibletothrowsomuchmeaningandpassionintoasingleword。Hiseyeshaddropped，andhedarednolongerlookatme。

“M。deTalleyrand，“Isaid，“inwhosehouseyouspentyouryearsofexile，declaresthatanyonebearingthenameofHenarezmusteitherbethelateDucdeSoriaoralacquey。“

Helookedatmewitheyesliketwoblackburningcoals，atonceblazingandashamed。Themanmighthavebeeninthetorture-chamber。

Allhesaidwas：

“MyfatherwasintruththeservantoftheKingofSpain。“

Griffithcouldmakenothingofthissortoflesson。Anawkwardsilencefollowedeachquestionandanswer。

“Inoneword，“Isaid，“areyouanoblemanornot？“

“YouknowthatinSpainevenbeggarsarenoble。“

Thisreticenceprovokedme。SincethelastlessonIhadgivenplaytomyimaginationinalittlepracticaljoke。IhaddrawnanidealportraitofthemanwhomIshouldwishformyloverinaletterwhichIdesignedgivingtohimtotranslate。Sofar，IhadonlyputSpanishintoFrench，notFrenchintoSpanish；Ipointedthisouttohim，andbeggedGriffithtobringmethelastletterIhadreceivedfromafriendofmine。

“Ishallfindout，“Ithought，fromtheeffectmysketchhasonhim，“whatsortofbloodrunsinhisveins。“

ItookthepaperfromGriffith’shands，saying：

“LetmeseeifIhavecopieditrightly。“

Foritwasallinmywriting。Ihandedhimthepaper，or，ifyouwill，thesnare，andIwatchedhimwhilehereadasfollows：

“Hewhoistowinmyheart，mydear，mustbeharshandunbendingwithmen，butgentlewithwomen。Hiseagleeyemusthavepowertoquellwithasingleglancetheleastapproachtoridicule。Hewillhaveapityingsmileforthosewhowouldjeeratsacredthings，aboveall，atthatpoetryoftheheart，withoutwhichlifewouldbebutadrearycommonplace。Ihavethegreatestscornforthosewhowouldrobusofthelivingfountainofreligiousbeliefs，sorichinsolace。Hisfaith，therefore，shouldhavethesimplicityofachild，thoughunitedtothefirmconvictionofanintelligentman，whohasexaminedthefoundationsofhiscreed。Hisfreshandoriginalwayoflookingatthingsmustbeentirelyfreefromaffectationordesiretoshowoff。

Hiswordswillbefewandfit，andhismindsorichlystored，thathecannotpossiblybecomeaboretohimselfanymorethantoothers。

“Allhisthoughtsmusthaveahighandchivalrouscharacter，withoutalloyofself-seeking；whilehisactionsshouldbemarkedbyatotalabsenceofinterestedorsordidmotives。Anyweakpointshemayhavewillarisefromtheveryelevationofhisviewsabovethoseofthecommonherd，forineveryrespectIwouldhavehimsuperiortohisage。Evermindfulofthedelicateattentionsduetotheweak，hewillbegentletoallwomen，butnotpronelightlytofallinlovewithany；forlovewillseemtohimtooserioustoturnintoagame。

“Thusitmighthappenthathewouldspendhislifeinignoranceoftruelove，whileallthetimepossessingthosequalitiesmostfittedtoinspireit。Butifeverhefindtheidealwomanwhohashauntedhiswakingdreams，ifhemeetwithanaturecapableofunderstandinghisown，onewhocouldfillhissoulandpoursunlightoverhislife，couldshineasastarthroughthemistsofthischillandgloomyworld，lendfreshcharmtoexistence，anddrawmusicfromthehithertosilentchordsofhisbeing——needlesstosay，hewouldrecognizeandwelcomehisgoodfortune。

“Andshe，too，wouldbehappy。Never，bywordorlook，wouldhewoundthetenderheartwhichabandoneditselftohim，withtheblindtrustofachildreposinginitsmother’sarms。Forwerethevisionshattered，itwouldbethewreckofherinnerlife。Tothemightywatersofloveshewouldconfideherall!

“ThemanIpicturemustbelong，inexpression，inattitude，ingait，inhiswayofperformingalikethesmallestandthegreatestactions，tothatraceofthetrulygreatwhoarealwayssimpleandnatural。Heneednotbegood-looking，buthishandsmustbebeautiful。Hisupperlipwillcurlwithacareless，ironicsmileforthegeneralpublic，whilsthereservesforthosehelovestheheavenly，radiantglanceinwhichheputshissoul。“

“Willmademoiselleallowme，“hesaidinSpanish，inavoicefullofagitation，“tokeepthiswritinginmemoryofher？ThisisthelastlessonIshallhavethehonorofgivingher，andthatwhichIhavejustreceivedinthesewordsmayservemeforanabidingruleoflife。

IleftSpain，afugitiveandpenniless，butIhaveto-dayreceivedfrommyfamilyasumsufficientformyneeds。YouwillallowmetosendsomepoorSpaniardinmyplace。“

Inotherwords，heseemedtometosay，“Thislittlegamemuststop。“

Herosewithanairofmarvelousdignity，andleftmequiteupsetbysuchunheard-ofdelicacyinamanofhisclass。Hewentdownstairsandaskedtospeakwithmyfather。

Atdinnermyfathersaidtomewithasmile：

“Louise，youhavebeenlearningSpanishfromanex-ministerandamancondemnedtodeath。“

“TheDucdeSoria，“Isaid。

“Duke!“repliedmyfather。“No，heisnotthatanylonger；hetakesthetitlenowofBarondeMacumerfromapropertywhichstillremainstohiminSardinia。Heissomethingofanoriginal，Ithink。“

“Don’tbrandwiththatword，whichwithyoualwaysimpliessomemockeryandscorn，amanwhoisyourequal，andwho，Ibelieve，hasanoblenature。“

“BaronnedeMacumer？“exclaimedmyfather，withalaughingglanceatme。

Pridekeptmyeyesfixedonthetable。

“But，“saidmymother，“HenarezmusthavemettheSpanishambassadoronthesteps？“

“Yes，“repliedmyfather，“theambassadoraskedmeifIwasconspiringagainsttheKing，hismaster；buthegreetedtheex-grandeeofSpainwithmuchdeference，andplacedhisservicesathisdisposal。“

Allthis，dear，Mme。del’Estorade，happenedafortnightago，anditisafortnightnowsinceIhaveseenthemanwholovesme，forthathelovesmethereisnotadoubt。Whatisheabout？IfonlyIwereafly，oramouse，orasparrow!Iwanttoseehimalone，myselfunseen，athishouse。Onlythink，amanexists，towhomIcansay，“Goanddieforme!“Andheissomadethathewouldgo，atleastIthinkso。

Anyhow，thereisinParisamanwhooccupiesmythoughts，andwhoseglancepourssunshineintomysoul。Isnotsuchamananenemy，whomI

oughttotrampleunderfoot？What？Thereisamanwhohasbecomenecessarytome——amanwithoutwhomIdon’tknowhowtolive!Youmarried，andI——inlove!Fourlittlemonths，andthosetwodoves，whosewingserstborethemsohigh，havefluttereddownupontheflatstretchesofreallife!

Sunday。

Yesterday，attheItalianOpera，Icouldfeelsomeonewaslookingatme；myeyesweredrawn，asbyamagnet，totwowellsoffire，gleaminglikecarbunclesinadimcorneroftheorchestra。Henareznevermovedhiseyesfromme。Thewretchhaddiscoveredtheonespotfromwhichhecouldseeme——andtherehewas。Idon’tknowwhathemaybeasapolitician，butforlovehehasagenius。

Behold，myfairRenee，whereourbusinessnowstands，asthegreatCorneillehassaid。

MME。DEL’ESTORADETOMLLE。DECHAULIEU

LACRAMPADE，February。

MydearLouise，——Iwasboundtowaitsometimebeforewritingtoyou；

butnowIknow，orratherIhavelearned，manythingswhich，forthesakeofyourfuturehappiness，Imusttellyou。Thedifferencebetweenagirlandamarriedwomanissovast，thatthegirlcannomorecomprehenditthanthemarriedwomancangobacktogirlhoodagain。

IchosetomarryLouisdel’Estoraderatherthanreturntotheconvent；thatatleastisplain。SosoonasIrealizedthattheconventwastheonlyalternativetomarryingLouis，Ihad，asgirlssay，to“submit，“andmysubmissiononcemade，thenextthingwastoexaminethesituationandtrytomakethebestofit。

TheseriousnatureofwhatIwasundertakingfilledmeatfirstwithterror。Marriageisamatterconcerningthewholeoflife，whilstloveaimsonlyatpleasure。Ontheotherhand，marriagewillremainwhenpleasureshavevanished，anditisthesourceofinterestsfarmorepreciousthanthoseofthemanandwomanenteringonthealliance。

Mightitnotthereforebethattheonlyrequisiteforahappymarriagewasfriendship——afriendshipwhich，forthesakeoftheseadvantages，wouldshutitseyestomanyoftheimperfectionsofhumanity？NowtherewasnoobstacletotheexistenceoffriendshipbetweenmyselfandLouisdel’Estorade。Havingrenouncedallideaoffindinginmarriagethosetransportsofloveonwhichourmindsusedsooften，andwithsuchperilousrapture，todwell，Ifoundagentlecalmsettlingoverme。“Ifdebarredfromlove，whynotseekforhappiness？“

Isaidtomyself。“Moreover，Iamloved，andtheloveofferedmeI

shallaccept。Mymarriedlifewillbenoslavery，butratheraperpetualreign。Whatistheretosayagainstsuchasituationforawomanwhowishestoremainabsolutemistressofherself？“

TheimportantpointofseparatingmarriagefrommaritalrightswassettledinaconversationbetweenLouisandme，inthecourseofwhichhegaveproofofanexcellenttemperandatenderheart。Darling，mydesirewastoprolongthatfairseasonofhopewhich，neverculminatinginsatisfaction，leavestothesoulitsvirginity。Tograntnothingtodutyorthelaw，tobeguidedentirelybyone’sownwill，retainingperfectindependence——whatcouldbemoreattractive，morehonorable？