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cheeks as velvety as a peach and given to her throat the silken down
which； like her mother's； caught the light。 She was to live！ God had
written it； dear bud of the loveliest of human flowers； on the long
lashes of her eyelids； on the curve of those shoulders which gave
promise of a development as superb as her mother's！ This brown young
girl； erect as a poplar； contrasted with Jacques； a fragile youth of
seventeen； whose head had grown immensely； causing anxiety by the
rapid expansion of the forehead； while his feverish； weary eyes were
in keeping with a voice that was deep and sonorous。 The voice gave
forth too strong a volume of tone； the eye too many thoughts。 It was
Henriette's intellect and soul and heart that were here devouring with
swift flames a body without stamina； for Jacques had the milk…white
skin and high color which characterize young English women doomed
sooner or later to the consumptive curse；an appearance of health
that deceives the eye。 Following a sign by which Henriette； after
showing me Madeleine； made me look at Jacques drawing geometrical
figures and algebraic calculations on a board before the Abbe Dominis；
I shivered at the sight of death hidden beneath the roses； and was
thankful for the self…deception of his mother。
〃When I see my children thus； happiness stills my griefsjust as
those griefs are dumb； and even disappear； when I see them failing。 My
friend；〃 she said； her eyes shining with maternal pleasure； 〃if other
affections fail us； the feelings rewarded here； the duties done and
crowned with success； are compensation enough for defeat elsewhere。
Jacques will be； like you； a man of the highest education； possessed
of the worthiest knowledge； he will be； like you； an honor to his
country； which he may assist in governing； helped by you； whose
standing will be so high； but I will strive to make him faithful to
his first affections。 Madeleine； dear creature； has a noble heart； she
is pure as the snows on the highest Alps； she will have a woman's
devotion and a woman's graceful intellect。 She is proud； she is worthy
of being a Lenoncourt。 My motherhood； once so tried； so tortured； is
happy now； happy with an infinite happiness； unmixed with pain。 Yes；
my life is full； my life is rich。 You see； God makes my joy to blossom
in the heart of these sanctified affections； and turns to bitterness
those that might have led me astray〃
〃Good！〃 cried the abbe； joyfully。 〃Monsieur le vicomte begins to know
as much as I〃
Just then Jacques coughed。
〃Enough for to…day； my dear abbe；〃 said the countess； 〃above all； no
chemistry。 Go for a ride on horseback； Jacques；〃 she added； letting
her son kiss her with the tender and yet dignified pleasure of a
mother。 〃Go； dear； but take care of yourself。〃
〃But；〃 I said； as her eyes followed Jacques with a lingering look；
〃you have not answered me。 Do you feel ill？〃
〃Oh； sometimes； in my stomach。 If I were in Paris I should have the
honors of gastritis； the fashionable disease。〃
〃My mother suffers very much and very often；〃 said Madeleine。
〃Ah！〃 she said； 〃does my health interest you？〃
Madeleine； astonished at the irony of these words； looked from one to
the other； my eyes counted the roses on the cushion of the gray and
green sofa which was in the salon。
〃This situation is intolerable；〃 I whispered in her ear。
〃Did I create it？〃 she asked。 〃Dear child；〃 she said aloud； with one
of those cruel levities by which women point their vengeance； 〃don't
you read history？ France and England are enemies； and ever have been。
Madeleine knows that； she knows that a broad sea； and a cold and
stormy one； separates them。〃
The vases on the mantelshelf had given place to candelabra； no doubt
to deprive me of the pleasure of filling them with flowers； I found
them later in my own room。 When my servant arrived I went out to give
him some orders； he had brought me certain things I wished to place in
my room。
〃Felix；〃 said the countess； 〃do not make a mistake。 My aunt's old room
is now Madeleine's。 Yours is over the count's。〃
Though guilty； I had a heart； those words were dagger thrusts coldly
given at its tenderest spot； for which she seemed to aim。 Moral
sufferings are not fixed quantities； they depend on the sensitiveness
of souls。 The countess had trod each round of the ladder of pain； but；
for that very reason； the kindest of women was now as cruel as she was
once beneficent。 I looked at Henriette； but she averted her head。 I
went to my new room； which was pretty； white and green。 Once there I
burst into tears。 Henriette heard me as she entered with a bunch of
flowers in her hand。
〃Henriette；〃 I said； 〃will you never forgive a wrong that is indeed
excusable？〃
〃Do not call me Henriette；〃 she said。 〃She no longer exists； poor
soul； but you may feel sure of Madame de Mortsauf； a devoted friend；
who will listen to you and who will love you。 Felix； we will talk of
these things later。 If you have still any tenderness for me let me
grow accustomed to seeing you。 Whenever words will not rend my heart；
if the day should ever come when I recover courage； I will speak to
you； but not till then。 Look at the valley；〃 she said； pointing to the
Indre； 〃it hurts me； I love it still。〃
〃Ah； perish England and all her women！ I will send my resignation to
the king； I will live and die here； pardoned。〃
〃No； love her； love that woman！ Henriette is not。 This is no play； and
you should know it。〃
She left the room； betraying by the tone of her last words the extent
of her wounds。 I ran after her and held her back； saying； 〃Do you no
longer love me？〃
〃You have done me more harm than all my other troubles put together。
To…day I suffer less； therefore I love you less。 Be kind； do not
increase my pain； if you suffer； remember thatIlive。〃
She withdrew her hand； which I held； cold； motionless； but moist； in
mine； and darted like an arrow through the corridor in which this
scene of actual tragedy took place。
At dinner； the count subjected me to a torture I had little expected。
〃So the Marchioness of Dudley is not in Paris？〃 he said。
I blushed excessively； but answered； 〃No。〃
〃She is not in Tours；〃 continued the count。
〃She is not divorced； and she can go back to England。 Her husband
would be very glad if she would return to him；〃 I said； eagerly。
〃Has she children？〃 asked Madame de Mortsauf； in a changed voice。
〃Two sons；〃 I replied。
〃Where are they？〃
〃In England； with their father。〃
〃Come； Felix；〃 interposed the count； 〃be frank； is she as handsome as
they say？〃
〃How can you ask him such a question？〃 cried the countess。 〃Is not the
woman you love always the handsomest of women？〃
〃Yes； always；〃 I said； firmly； with a glance which she could not
sustain。
〃You are a happy fellow；〃 said the count； 〃yes； a very happy one。 Ha！
in my young days； I should have gone mad over such a conquest〃
〃Hush！〃 said Madame de Mortsauf； reminding the count of Madeleine by a
look。
〃I am not a child；〃 he said。
When we left the table I followed the countess to the terrace。 When we
were alone she exclaimed； 〃How is it possible that some women can
sacrifice their children to a man？ Wealth； position； the world； I can
conceive of； eternity？ yes； possibly； but children！ deprive one's self
of one's children！〃
〃Yes； and such women would give even more if they had it； they
sacrifice everything。〃
The world was suddenly reversed before her； her ideas became confused。
The grandeur of that thought struck her； a suspicion entered her mind
that sacrifice； immolation justified happiness； the echo of her own
inward cry for love came back to her； she stood dumb in presence of
her wasted life。 Yes； for a moment horrible doubts possessed her； then
she rose； grand and saintly； her head erect。
〃Love her well； Felix；〃 she said； with tears in her eyes； 〃she shall
be my happy sister。 I will forgive her the harm she has done me if she
gives you what you could not have here。 You are right； I have never
told you that I loved you； and I never have loved you as the world
loves。 But if she is a mother how can she love you so？〃
〃Dear saint；〃 I answered； 〃I must be less mo