the muse of the department-第7部分

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on　being　taken　for　what　she　is　not。　Hence　the　preposterous　bustles；
the　audacious　flatness；　the　ridiculous　fulness；　the　hideous　outlines
ingeniously　displayed；　to　which　a　whole　town　will　become　accustomed；
but　which　are　so　astounding　when　a　provincial　woman　makes　her
appearance　in　Paris　or　among　Parisians。　Dinah；　who　was　extremely　slim；
showed　it　off　to　excess；　and　never　knew　a　dull　moment　when　it　became
ridiculous；　when；　reduced　by　the　dull　weariness　of　her　life；　she
looked　like　a　skeleton　in　clothes；　and　her　friends；　seeing　her　every
day；　did　not　observe　the　gradual　change　in　her　appearance。

This　is　one　of　the　natural　results　of　a　provincial　life。　In　spite　of
marriage；　a　young　woman　preserves　her　beauty　for　some　time；　and　the
town　is　proud　of　her；　but　everybody　sees　her　every　day；　and　when
people　meet　every　day　their　perception　is　dulled。　If；　like　Madame　de
la　Baudraye；　she　loses　her　color；　it　is　scarcely　noticed；　or；　again；
if　she　flushes　a　little；　that　is　intelligible　and　interesting。　A
little　neglect　is　thought　charming；　and　her　face　is　so　carefully
studied；　so　well　known；　that　slight　changes　are　scarcely　noticed；　and
regarded　at　last　as　〃beauty　spots。〃　When　Dinah　ceased　to　have　a　new
dress　with　a　new　season；　she　seemed　to　have　made　a　concession　to　the
philosophy　of　the　place。

It　is　the　same　with　matters　of　speech；　choice　of　words　and　ideas；　as
it　is　with　matters　of　feeling。　The　mind　can　rust　as　well　as　the　body
if　it　is　not　rubbed　up　in　Paris；　but　the　thing　on　which　provincialism
most　sets　its　stamp　is　gesture；　gait；　and　movement；　these　soon　lose
the　briskness　which　Paris　constantly　keeps　alive。　The　provincial　is
used　to　walk　and　move　in　a　world　devoid　of　accident　or　change；　there
is　nothing　to　be　avoided；　so　in　Paris　she　walks　on　as　raw　recruits　do；
never　remembering　that　there　may　be　hindrances；　for　there　are　none　in
her　way　in　her　native　place；　where　she　is　known；　where　she　is　always
in　her　place；　and　every　one　makes　way　for　her。　Thus　she　loses　all　the
charm　of　the　unforeseen。

And　have　you　ever　noticed　the　effect　on　human　beings　of　a　life　in
common？　By　the　ineffaceable　instinct　of　simian　mimicry　they　all　tend
to　copy　each　other。　Each　one；　without　knowing　it；　acquires　the
gestures；　the　tone　of　voice；　the　manner；　the　attitudes；　the　very
countenance　of　others。　In　six　years　Dinah　had　sunk　to　the　pitch　of　the
society　she　lived　in。　As　she　acquired　Monsieur　de　Clagny's　ideas　she
assumed　his　tone　of　voice；　she　unconsciously　fell　into　masculine
manners　from　seeing　none　but　men；　she　fancied　that　by　laughing　at　what
was　ridiculous　in　them　she　was　safe　from　catching　it；　but；　as　often
happens；　some　hue　of　what　she　laughed　at　remained　in　the　grain。

A　Parisian　woman　sees　so　many　examples　of　good　taste　that　a　contrary
result　ensues。　In　Paris　women　learn　to　seize　the　hour　and　moment　when
they　may　appear　to　advantage；　while　Madame　de　la　Baudraye；　accustomed
to　take　the　stage；　acquired　an　indefinable　theatrical　and　domineering
manner；　the　air　of　a　/prima　donna/　coming　forward　on　the　boards；　of
which　ironical　smiles　would　soon　have　cured　her　in　the　capital。

But　after　she　had　acquired　this　stock　of　absurdities；　and；　deceived　by
her　worshipers；　imagined　them　to　be　added　graces；　a　moment　of　terrible
awakening　came　upon　her　like　the　fall　of　an　avalanche　from　a　mountain。
In　one　day　she　was　crushed　by　a　frightful　comparison。

In　1829；　after　the　departure　of　Monsieur　de　Chargeboeuf；　she　was
excited　by　the　anticipation　of　a　little　pleasure；　she　was　expecting
the　Baronne　de　Fontaine。　Anna's　husband；　who　was　now　Director…General
under　the　Minister　of　Finance；　took　advantage　of　leave　of　absence　on
the　occasion　of　his　father's　death　to　take　his　wife　to　Italy。　Anna
wished　to　spend　the　day　at　Sancerre　with　her　school…friend。　This
meeting　was　strangely　disastrous。　Anna；　who　at　school　had　been　far
less　handsome　than　Dinah；　now；　as　Baronne　de　Fontaine；　was　a　thousand
times　handsomer　than　the　Baronne　de　la　Baudraye；　in　spite　of　her
fatigue　and　her　traveling　dress。　Anna　stepped　out　of　an　elegant
traveling　chaise　loaded　with　Paris　milliners'　boxes；　and　she　had　with
her　a　lady's　maid；　whose　airs　quite　frightened　Dinah。　All　the
difference　between　a　woman　of　Paris　and　a　provincial　was　at　once
evident　to　Dinah's　intelligent　eye；　she　saw　herself　as　her　friend　saw
herand　Anna　found　her　altered　beyond　recognition。　Anna　spent　six
thousand　francs　a　year　on　herself　alone；　as　much　as　kept　the　whole
household　at　La　Baudraye。

In　twenty…four　hours　the　friends　had　exchanged　many　confidences；　and
the　Parisian；　seeing　herself　so　far　superior　to　the　phoenix　of
Mademoiselle　Chamarolles'　school；　showed　her　provincial　friend　such
kindness；　such　attentions；　while　giving　her　certain　explanations；　as
were　so　many　stabs　to　Dinah；　though　she　perfectly　understood　that
Anna's　advantages　all　lay　on　the　surface；　while　her　own　were　for　ever
buried。

When　Anna　had　left；　Madame　de　la　Baudraye；　by　this　time　two…and…
twenty；　fell　into　the　depths　of　despair。

〃What　is　it　that　ails　you？〃　asked　Monsieur　de　Clagny；　seeing　her　so
dejected。

〃Anna；〃　said　she；　〃has　learned　to　live；　while　I　have　been　learning　to
endure。〃

A　tragi…comedy　was；　in　fact；　being　enacted　in　Madame　de　la　Baudraye's
house；　in　harmony　with　her　struggles　over　money　matters　and　her
successive　transformationsa　drama　to　which　no　one　but　Monsieur　de
Clagny　and　the　Abbe　Duret　ever　knew　the　clue；　when　Dinah　in　sheer
idleness；　or　perhaps　sheer　vanity；　revealed　the　secret　of　her
anonymous　fame。

Though　a　mixture　of　verse　and　prose　is　a　monstrous　anomaly　in　French
literature；　there　must　be　exceptions　to　the　rule。　This　tale　will　be
one　of　the　two　instances　in　these　Studies　of　violation　of　the　laws　of
narrative；　for　to　give　a　just　idea　of　the　unconfessed　struggle　which
may　excuse；　though　it　cannot　absolve　Dinah；　it　is　necessary　to　give　an
analysis　of　a　poem　which　was　the　outcome　of　her　deep　despair。

Her　patience　and　her　resignation　alike　broken　by　the　departure　of　the
Vicomte　de　Chargeboeuf；　Dinah　took　the　worthy　Abbe's　advice　to　exhale
her　evil　thoughts　in　versea　proceeding　which　perhaps　accounts　for
some　poets。

〃You　will　find　such　relief　as　those　who　write　epitaphs　or　elegies　over
those　whom　they　have　lost。　Pain　is　soothed　in　the　heart　as　lines　surge
up　in　the　brain。〃

This　strange　production　caused　a　great　ferment　in　the　departments　of
the　Allier；　the　Nievre；　and　the　Cher；　proud　to　possess　a　poet　capable
of　rivalry　with　the　glories　of　Paris。　/Paquita　la　Sevillane/；　by　/Jan
Diaz/；　was　published　in　the　/Echo　du　Morvan/；　a　review　which　for
eighteen　months　maintained　its　existence　in　spite　of　provincial
indifference。　Some　knowing　persons　at　Nevers　declared　that　Jan　Diaz
was　making　fun　of　the　new　school；　just　then　bringing　out　its　eccentric
verse；　full　of　vitality　and　imagery；　and　of　brilliant　effects　produced
by　defying　the　Muse　under　pretext　of　adapting　German；　English；　and
Romanesque　mannerisms。

The　poem　began　with　this　ballad：

　　Ah！　if　you　knew　the　fragrant　plain；
　　The　air；　the　sky；　of　golden　Spain；
　　Its　fervid　noons；　its　balmy　spring；
　　Sad　daughters　of　the　northern　gloom；
　　Of　love；　of　heav'n；　of　native　home；
　　You　never　would　presume　to　sing！

　　For　men　are　there　of　other　mould
　　Than　those　who　live　in　this　dull　cold。
　　And　there　to　music　low　and　sweet
　　Sevillian　maids；　from　eve　till　dawn；
　　Dance　lightly　on　the　moonlit　lawn
　　In　satin　shoes；　on　dainty　feet。

　　Ah；　you　would　be　the　first　to　blush
　　Over　your　dancers'　romp　and　rush；
　　And　your　too　hideous　carnival；
　　That　turns　your　cheeks　all　chill　and　blue；
　　And　skips　the　mud　in　hob…nail'd　shoe
　　A　truly　dismal　festival。

　　To　pale…faced　girls；　and　in　a　squalid　room；
　　Paquita　sang；　the　murky　town　beneath
　　Was　Rouen　whence　the　slender　spires　rise
　　　　To　chew　the　storm　with　teeth。
　　Rouen　so　hideous；　noisy；　full　of　rage

And　here　followed　a　magnificent　description　of　Rouenwhere　Dinah　had
never　beenwritten　with　the　affected　brutality　which；　a　little　later；
inspired　so　many　imitations　of　Juvenal；　a　contrast　drawn　between　the
life　of　a　manufacturing　town　and　the　careless　life　of　Spain；　between
the　love　of　Heaven　and　of　human　beauty；　and　the　worship　of　machinery；
in　short；　between　poetry　and　sordid　money…making。

Then　Jan　Diaz　accounted　for　Paquita's　horror　of　Normandy　by　saying：

　　Seville；　you　see；　had　been　her　native　home；
　　　　Seville；　where　skies　are　blue　and　evening　sweet。
　　She；　at　thirteen；　the　sovereign　of　the　town；
　　　　Had　lovers　at　her　feet。

　　For　her　three　Toreadors　had　gone　to　death
　　Or　victory；　the　prize　to　be　a　kiss
　　One　kiss　from　those　red　lips　of　sweetest　breath
　　　　A　longed…for　touch　of　bliss！

The　features　of　the　Spanish　girl's　portrait　have　served　so　often　as
those　of　the　courtesan　in　so　many　self…styled　/poems/；　that　it　would
be　tiresome　to　quote　here　the　hundred　lines　of　description。　To　judge
of　the　lengths　to　which　audacity　had　carried　Dinah；　it　will　be　enough
to　give　the　conclusion。　According　to　Madame　de　la　Baudraye's　ardent
pen；　Paquita　was　so　entirely　created　for　love　that　she　can　hardly　have
met　with　a　knight　worthy　of　her；　for

　　。　。　。　。　In　her　passionate　fire
　　　　Every　man　would　have　swooned　from　the　heat；
　　When　she　at　love's　feast；　in　her　fervid　desire；
　　　　As　yet　had　but　taken　her　seat。

〃And　yet　she　could　quit　the　joys　of　Seville；　its　woods　and　fields　of
orange…trees；　for　a　Norman　soldier　who　won　her　love　and　carried　her
away　to　his　hearth　and　home。　She　did　not　weep　for　her　Andalusia；　the
Soldier　was　her　whole　joy。　。　。　。　But　the　day　came　when　he　was
compelled　to　start　for　Russia　in　the　footsteps　of　the　great　Emperor。〃

Nothing　could　be　more　dainty　than　the　description　of　the　parting
between　the　Spanish　girl　and　the　Normandy　Captain　of　Artillery；　who；
in　the　delirium　of　passion　expressed　with　feeling　worthy　of　Byron；
exacted　from　Paquita　a　vow　of　absolute　fidelity；　in　the　Cathedral　at
Rouen　in　front　of　the　alter　of　the　Blessed　Virgin；　who

　　Though　a　Maid　is　a　woman；　and　never　forgives
　　　　When　lovers　are　false　to　their　vows。

A　large　part　of　the　poem　was　devoted　to　describing　Paquita's
sufferings　when　alone　in　Rouen　waiting　till　the　campaign　was　over；　s