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conviction in his mind； his exile was a long and miserable period of
idleness。 When the army of Conde； which his courage led him to join
with the utmost devotion； was disbanded； he expected to find some
other post under the white flag； and never sought； like other
emigrants； to take up an industry。 Perhaps he had not the sort of
courage that could lay aside his name and earn his living in the sweat
of a toil he despised。 His hopes； daily postponed to the morrow； and
possibly a scruple of honor； kept him from offering his services to
foreign powers。 Trials undermined his courage。 Long tramps afoot on
insufficient nourishment； and above all； on hopes betrayed； injured
his health and discouraged his mind。 By degrees he became utterly
destitute。 If to some men misery is a tonic； on others it acts as a
dissolvent； and the count was of the latter。
Reflecting on the life of this poor Touraine gentleman； tramping and
sleeping along the highroads of Hungary； sharing the mutton of Prince
Esterhazy's shepherds； from whom the foot…worn traveller begged the
food he would not； as a gentleman； have accepted at the table of the
master； and refusing again and again to do service to the enemies of
France； I never found it in my heart to feel bitterness against him；
even when I saw him at his worst in after days。 The natural gaiety of
a Frenchman and a Tourangean soon deserted him； he became morose； fell
ill； and was charitably cared for in some German hospital。 His disease
was an inflammation of the mesenteric membrane； which is often fatal；
and is liable； even if cured； to change the constitution and produce
hypochondria。 His love affairs； carefully buried out of sight and
which I alone discovered； were low…lived； and not only destroyed his
health but ruined his future。
After twelve years of great misery he made his way to France； under
the decree of the Emperor which permitted the return of the emigrants。
As the wretched wayfarer crossed the Rhine and saw the tower of
Strasburg against the evening sky； his strength gave way。 〃'France！
France！' I cried。 'I see France！'〃 （he said to me） 〃as a child cries
'Mother！' when it is hurt。〃 Born to wealth； he was now poor； made to
command a regiment or govern a province； he was now without authority
and without a future； constitutionally healthy and robust； he returned
infirm and utterly worn out。 Without enough education to take part
among men and affairs； now broadened and enlarged by the march of
events； necessarily without influence of any kind； he lived despoiled
of everything； of his moral strength as well as his physical。 Want of
money made his name a burden。 His unalterable opinions； his
antecedents with the army of Conde； his trials； his recollections； his
wasted health； gave him susceptibilities which are but little spared
in France； that land of jest and sarcasm。 Half dead he reached Maine；
where； by some accident of the civil war； the revolutionary government
had forgotten to sell one of his farms of considerable extent； which
his farmer had held for him by giving out that he himself was the
owner of it。
When the Lenoncourt family； living at Givry； an estate not far from
this farm； heard of the arrival of the Comte de Mortsauf； the Duc de
Lenoncourt invited him to stay at Givry while a house was being
prepared for him。 The Lenoncourt family were nobly generous to him；
and with them he remained some months； struggling to hide his
sufferings during that first period of rest。 The Lenoncourts had
themselves lost an immense property。 By birth Monsieur de Mortsauf was
a suitable husband for their daughter。 Mademoiselle de Lenoncourt；
instead of rejecting a marriage with a feeble and worn…out man of
thirty…five； seemed satisfied to accept it。 It gave her the
opportunity of living with her aunt； the Duchesse de Verneuil； sister
of the Prince de Blamont…Chauvry； who was like a mother to her。
Madame de Verneuil； the intimate friend of the Duchesse de Bourbon；
was a member of the devout society of which Monsieur Saint…Martin
（born in Touraine and called the Philosopher of Mystery） was the soul。
The disciples of this philosopher practised the virtues taught them by
the lofty doctrines of mystical illumination。 These doctrines hold the
key to worlds divine； they explain existence by reincarnations through
which the human spirit rises to its sublime destiny； they liberate
duty from its legal degradation； enable the soul to meet the trials of
life with the unalterable serenity of the Quaker； ordain contempt for
the sufferings of this life； and inspire a fostering care of that
angel within us who allies us to the divine。 It is stoicism with an
immortal future。 Active prayer and pure love are the elements of this
faith； which is born of the Roman Church but returns to the
Christianity of the primitive faith。 Mademoiselle de Lenoncourt
remained； however； in the Catholic communion； to which her aunt was
equally bound。 Cruelly tried by revolutionary horrors； the Duchesse de
Verneuil acquired in the last years of her life a halo of passionate
piety； which； to use the phraseology of Saint…Martin； shed the light
of celestial love and the chrism of inward joy upon the soul of her
cherished niece。
After the death of her aunt； Madame de Mortsauf received several
visits at Clochegourde from Saint…Martin； a man of peace and of
virtuous wisdom。 It was at Clochegourde that he corrected his last
books； printed at Tours by Letourmy。 Madame de Verneuil； wise with the
wisdom of an old woman who has known the stormy straits of life； gave
Clochegourde to the young wife for her married home； and with the
grace of old age； so perfect where it exists； the duchess yielded
everything to her niece； reserving for herself only one room above the
one she had always occupied； and which she now fitted up for the
countess。 Her sudden death threw a gloom over the early days of the
marriage； and connected Clochegourde with ideas of sadness in the
sensitive mind of the bride。 The first period of her settlement in
Touraine was to Madame de Mortsauf； I cannot say the happiest； but the
least troubled of her life。
After the many trials of his exile； Monsieur de Mortsauf； taking
comfort in the thought of a secure future； had a certain recovery of
mind； he breathed anew in this sweet valley the intoxicating essence
of revived hope。 Compelled to husband his means； he threw himself into
agricultural pursuits and began to find some happiness in life。 But
the birth of his first child； Jacques； was a thunderbolt which ruined
both the past and the future。 The doctor declared the child had not
vitality enough to live。 The count concealed this sentence from the
mother； but he sought other advice； and received the same fatal
answer； the truth of which was confirmed at the subsequent birth of
Madeleine。 These events and a certain inward consciousness of the
cause of this disaster increased the diseased tendencies of the man
himself。 His name doomed to extinction； a pure and irreproachable
young woman made miserable beside him and doomed to the anguish of
maternity without its joysthis uprising of his former into his
present life； with its growth of new sufferings； crushed his spirit
and completed its destruction。
The countess guessed the past from the present； and read the future。
Though nothing is so difficult as to make a man happy when he knows
himself to blame； she set herself to that task； which is worthy of an
angel。 She became stoical。 Descending into an abyss； whence she still
could see the sky； she devoted herself to the care of one man as the
sister of charity devotes herself to many。 To reconcile him with
himself； she forgave him that for which he had no forgiveness。 The
count grew miserly； she accepted the privations he imposed。 Like all
who have known the world only to acquire its suspiciousness； he feared
betrayal； she lived in solitude and yielded without a murmur to his
mistrust。 With a woman's tact she made him will to do that which was
right； till he fancied the ideas were his own； and thus enjoyed in his
own person the honors of a superiority that was never his。 After due
experience of married life； she came t