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right　side　is　easily　conceivable。　The　task　was　an　attractive　one。
Claude　Vignon　thinks　himself　a　great　politician　as　well　as　a　great
writer；　but　this　unpublished　Machiavelli　laughs　within　himself　at　all
ambitions；　he　knows　what　he　can　do；　he　has　instinctively　taken　the
measure　of　his　future　on　his　faculties；　he　sees　his　greatness；　but　he
also　sees　obstacles；　grows　alarmed　or　disgusted；　lets　the　time　roll
by；　and　does　not　go　to　work。　Like　Etienne　Lousteau　the　feuilletonist；
like　Nathan　the　dramatic　author；　like　Blondet；　another　journalist；　he
came　from　the　ranks　of　the　bourgeoisie；　to　which　we　owe　the　greater
number　of　our　writers。

〃Which　way　did　you　come？〃　asked　Mademoiselle　des　Touches；　coloring
with　either　pleasure　or　surprise。'

〃By　the　door；〃　replied　Claude　Vignon；　dryly。

〃Oh；〃　she　cried；　shrugging　her　shoulders；　〃I　am　aware　that　you　are　not
a　man　to　climb　in　by　a　window。〃

〃Scaling　a　window　is　a　badge　of　honor　for　a　beloved　woman。〃

〃Enough！〃　said　Felicite。

〃Am　I　in　the　way？〃　asked　Claude。

〃Monsieur；〃　said　Calyste；　artlessly；　〃this　letter〃

〃Pray　keep　it；　I　ask　no　questions；　at　our　age　we　understand　such
affairs；〃　he　answered；　interrupting　Calyste　with　a　sardonic　air。

〃But；　monsieur；〃　began　Calyste；　much　provoked。

〃Calm　yourself；　young　man；　I　have　the　utmost　indulgence　for
sentiments。〃

〃My　dear　Calyste；〃　said　Camille；　wishing　to　speak。

〃'Dear'？〃　said　Vignon；　interrupting　her。

〃Claude　is　joking；〃　said　Camille；　continuing　her　remarks　to　Calyste。
〃He　is　wrong　to　do　it　with　you；　who　know　nothing　of　Parisian　ways。〃

〃I　did　not　know　that　I　was　joking；〃　said　Claude　Vignon；　very　gravely。

〃Which　way　did　you　come？〃　asked　Felicite　again。　〃I　have　been　watching
the　road　to　Croisic　for　the　last　two　hours。〃

〃Not　all　the　time；〃　replied　Vignon。

〃You　are　too　bad　to　jest　in　this　way。〃

〃Am　I　jesting？〃

Calyste　rose。

〃Why　should　you　go　so　soon？　You　are　certainly　at　your　ease　here；〃　said
Vignon。

〃Quite　the　contrary；〃　replied　the　angry　young　Breton；　to　whom　Camille
Maupin　stretched　out　a　hand；　which　he　took　and　kissed；　dropping　a　tear
upon　it；　after　which　he　took　his　leave。

〃I　should　like　to　be　that　little　young　man；〃　said　the　critic；　sitting
down；　and　taking　one　end　of　the　hookah。　〃How　he　will　love！〃

〃Too　much；　for　then　he　will　not　be　loved　in　return；〃　replied
Mademoiselle　des　Touches。　〃Madame　de　Rochefide　is　coming　here；〃　she
added。

〃You　don't　say　so！〃　exclaimed　Claude。　〃With　Conti？〃

〃She　will　stay　here　alone；　but　he　accompanies　her。〃

〃Have　they　quarrelled？〃

〃No。〃

〃Play　me　a　sonata　of　Beethoven's；　I　know　nothing　of　the　music　he　wrote
for　the　piano。〃

Claude　began　to　fill　the　tube　of　the　hookah　with　Turkish　tobacco；　all
the　while　examining　Camille　much　more　attentively　than　she　observed。　A
dreadful　thought　oppressed　him；　he　fancied　he　was　being　used　for　a
blind　by　this　woman。　The　situation　was　a　novel　one。

Calyste　went　home　thinking　no　longer　of　Beatrix　de　Rochefide　and　her
letter；　he　was　furious　against　Claude　Vignon　for　what　he　considered
the　utmost　indelicacy；　and　he　pitied　poor　Felicite。　How　was　it
possible　to　be　beloved　by　that　sublime　creature　and　not　adore　her　on
his　knees；　not　believe　her　on　the　faith　of　a　glance　or　a　smile？　He
felt　a　desire　to　turn　and　rend　that　cold；　pale　spectre　of　a　man。
Ignorant　he　might　be；　as　Felicite　had　told　him；　of　the　tricks　of
thought　of　the　jesters　of　the　press；　but　one　thing　he　knewLove　was
the　human　religion。

When　his　mother　saw　him　entering　the　court…yard　she　uttered　an
exclamation　of　joy；　and　Zephirine　whistled　for　Mariotte。

〃Mariotte；　the　boy　is　coming！　cook　the　fish！〃

〃I　see　him；　mademoiselle；〃　replied　the　woman。

Fanny；　uneasy　at　the　sadness　she　saw　on　her　son's　brow；　picked　up　her
worsted…work；　the　old　aunt　took　out　her　knitting。　The　baron　gave　his
arm…chair　to　his　son　and　walked　about　the　room；　as　if　to　stretch　his
legs　before　going　out　to　take　a　turn　in　the　garden。　No　Flemish　or
Dutch　picture　ever　presented　an　interior　in　tones　more　mellow；　peopled
with　faces　and　forms　so　harmoniously　blending。　The　handsome　young　man
in　his　black　velvet　coat；　the　mother；　still　so　beautiful；　and　the　aged
brother　and　sister　framed　by　that　ancient　hall；　were　a　moving　domestic
harmony。

Fanny　would　fain　have　questioned　Calyste；　but　he　had　already　pulled　a
letter　from　his　pocket；that　letter　of　the　Marquise　Beatrix；　which
was；　perhaps；　destined　to　destroy　the　happiness　of　this　noble　family。
As　he　unfolded　it；　Calyste's　awakened　imagination　showed　him　the
marquise　dressed　as　Camille　Maupin　had　fancifully　depicted　her。

　　From　the　Marquise　de　Rochefide　to　Mademoiselle　des　Touches。

Genoa；　July　2。

　　I　have　not　written　to　you　since　our　stay　in　Florence；　my　dear
　　friend；　for　Venice　and　Rome　have　absorbed　my　time；　and；　as　you
　　know；　happiness　occupies　a　large　part　of　life；　so　far；　we　have
　　neither　of　us　dropped　from　its　first　level。　I　am　a　little
　　fatigued；　for　when　one　has　a　soul　not　easy　to　/blaser/；　the
　　constant　succession　of　enjoyments　naturally　causes　lassitude。

　　Our　friend　has　had　a　magnificent　triumph　at　the　Scala　and　the
　　Fenice；　and　now　at　the　San　Carlo。　Three　Italian　operas　in　two
　　years！　You　cannot　say　that　love　has　made　him　idle。　We　have　been
　　warmly　received　everywhere；though　I　myself　would　have　preferred
　　solitude　and　silence。　Surely　that　is　the　only　suitable　manner　of
　　life　for　women　who　have　placed　themselves　in　direct　opposition　to
　　society？　I　expected　such　a　life；　but　love；　my　dear　friend；　is　a
　　more　exacting　master　than　marriage；however；　it　is　sweet　to　obey
　　him；　though　I　did　not　think　I　should　have　to　see　the　world　again；
　　even　by　snatches；　and　the　attentions　I　receive　are　so　many　stabs。
　　I　am　no　longer　on　a　footing　of　equality　with　the　highest　rank　of
　　women；　and　the　more　attentions　are　paid　to　me；　the　more　my
　　inferiority　is　made　apparent。

　　Gennaro　could　not　comprehend　this　sensitiveness；　but　he　has　been
　　so　happy　that　it　would　ill　become　me　not　to　have　sacrificed　my
　　petty　vanity　to　that　great　and　noble　thing；the　life　of　an
　　artist。　We　women　live　by　love；　whereas　men　live　by　love　and
　　action；　otherwise　they　would　not　be　men。　Still；　there　are　great
　　disadvantages　for　a　woman　in　the　position　in　which　I　have　put
　　myself。　You　have　escaped　them；　you　continue　to　be　a　person　in　the
　　eyes　of　the　world；　which　has　no　rights　over　you；　you　have　your　own
　　free　will；　and　I　have　lost　mine。　I　am　speaking　now　of　the　things
　　of　the　heart；　not　those　of　social　life；　which　I　have　utterly
　　renounced。　You　can　be　coquettish　and　self…willed；　and　have　all　the
　　graces　of　a　woman　who　loves；　a　woman　who　can　give　or　refuse　her
　　love　as　she　pleases；　you　have　kept　the　right　to　have　caprices；　in
　　the　interests　even　of　your　love。　In　short；　to…day　you　still
　　possess　your　right　of　feeling；　while　I；　I　have　no　longer　any
　　liberty　of　heart；　which　I　think　precious　to　exercise　in　love；　even
　　though　the　love　itself　may　be　eternal。　I　have　no　right　now　to　that
　　privilege　of　quarrelling　in　jest　to　which　so　many　women　cling；　and
　　justly；　for　is　it　not　the　plummet　line　with　which　to　sound　the
　　hearts　of　men？　I　have　no　threat　at　my　command。　I　must　draw　my
　　power　henceforth　from　obedience；　from　unlimited　gentleness；　I　must
　　make　myself　imposing　by　the　greatness　of　my　love。　I　would　rather
　　die　than　leave　Gennaro；　and　my　pardon　lies　in　the　sanctity　of　my
　　love。　Between　social　dignity　and　my　petty　personal　dignity；　I　did
　　right　not　to　hesitate。　If　at　times　I　have　a　few　melancholy
　　feelings；　like　clouds　that　pass　through　a　clear　blue　sky；　and　to
　　which　all　women　like　to　yield　themselves；　I　keep　silence　about
　　them；　they　might　seem　like　regrets。　Ah　me！　I　have　so　fully
　　understood　the　obligations　of　my　position　that　I　have　armed　myself
　　with　the　utmost　indulgence；　but　so　far；　Gennaro　has　not　alarmed　my
　　susceptible　jealousy。　I　don't　as　yet　see　where　that　dear　great
　　genius　may　fail。

　　Dear　angel；　I　am　like　those　pious　souls　who　argue　with　their　God；
　　for　are　not　you　my　Providence？　do　I　not　owe　my　happiness　to　you？
　　You　must　never　doubt；　therefore；　that　you　are　constantly　in　my
　　thoughts。

　　I　have　seen　Italy　at　last；　seen　it　as　you　saw　it；　and　as　it　ought
　　to　be　seen；lighted　to　our　souls　by　love；　as　it　is　by　its　own
　　bright　sun　and　its　masterpieces。　I　pity　those　who；　being　moved　to
　　adoration　at　every　step；　have　no　hand　to　press；　no　heart　in　which
　　to　shed　the　exuberance　of　emotions　which　calm　themselves　when
　　shared。　These　two　years　have　been　to　me　a　lifetime；　in　which　my
　　memory　has　stored　rich　harvests。　Have　you　made　plans；　as　I　do；　to
　　stay　forever　at　Chiavari；　to　buy　a　palazzo　in　Venice；　a　summer…
　　house　at　Sorrento；　a　villa　in　Florence？　All　loving　women　dread
　　society；　but　I；　who　am　cast　forever　outside　of　it；　ought　I　not　to
　　bury　myself　in　some　beautiful　landscape；　on　flowery　slopes；　facing
　　the　sea；　or　in　a　valley　that　equals　a　sea；　like　that　of　Fiesole？

　　But　alas！　we　are　only　poor　artists；　and　want　of　money　is　bringing
　　these　two　bohemians　back　to　Paris。　Gennaro　does　not　want　me　to
　　feel　that　I　have　lost　my　luxury；　and　he　wishes　to　put　his　new
　　work；　a　grand　opera；　into　rehearsal　at　once。　You　will　understand；
　　of　course；　my　dearest；　that　I　cannot　set　foot　in　Paris。　I　could
　　not；　I　would　not；　even　if　it　costs　me　my　love；　meet　one　of　those
　　glances　of　women；　or　of　men；　which　would　make　me　think　of　murder
　　or　suicide。　Yes；　I　could　hack　in　pieces　whoever　insulted　me　with
　　pity；　like　Chateauneuf；　who；　in　the　time　of　Henri　III。；　I　think；
　　rode　his　horse　at　the　Provost　of　Paris　for　a　wrong　of　that　kind；
　　and　trampled　him　under　hoof。

　　I　write；　therefore；　to　say　that　I　shall　soon　pay　you　a　visit　at
　　Les　Touches。　I　want　to　stay　there；　in　that　Chartreuse；　while
　　awaiting　the　success　of　our　Gennaro's　opera。　You　will　see　that　I
　　am　bold　with　my　benefactress；　my　sister；　but　I　prove；　at　any　rate；
　　that　the　greatness　of　obligations　laid　upon　me　has　not　led　me；　as
　　it　does　so　many　people；　to　ingratitude。　You　have　told　me　so　much
　　of　the　difficulties　of　the　land　journey　that　I　shall　go　to　Croisic
　　by　water。　This　idea　came　to　me　on　finding　that　there　is　a　lit