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charming lines； and the young man； who had often seen those shoulders
at a ball； knew well the treasures that the shawl concealed。 By the
way a Parisian woman wraps a shawl around her； and the way she lifts
her feet in the street； a man of intelligence in such studies can
divine the secret of her mysterious errand。 There is something； I know
not what； of quivering buoyancy in the person； in the gait； the woman
seems to weigh less； she steps； or rather； she glides like a star； and
floats onward led by a thought which exhales from the folds and motion
of her dress。 The young man hastened his step； passed the woman； and
then turned back to look at her。 Pst！ she had disappeared into a
passage…way； the grated door of which and its bell still rattled and
sounded。 The young man walked back to the alley and saw the woman
reach the farther end； where she began to mountnot without receiving
the obsequious bow of an old portressa winding staircase； the lower
steps of which were strongly lighted； she went up buoyantly； eagerly；
as though impatient。
〃Impatient for what？〃 said the young man to himself； drawing back to
lean against a wooden railing on the other side of the street。 He
gazed； unhappy man； at the different storeys of the house； with the
keen attention of a detective searching for a conspirator。
It was one of those houses of which there are thousands in Paris；
ignoble； vulgar； narrow； yellowish in tone； with four storeys and
three windows on each floor。 The outer blinds of the first floor were
closed。 Where was she going？ The young man fancied he heard the tinkle
of a bell on the second floor。 As if in answer to it； a light began to
move in a room with two windows strongly illuminated； which presently
lit up the third window； evidently that of a first room； either the
salon or the dining…room of the apartment。 Instantly the outline of a
woman's bonnet showed vaguely on the window； and a door between the
two rooms must have closed； for the first was dark again； while the
two other windows resumed their ruddy glow。 At this moment a voice
said； 〃Hi； there！〃 and the young man was conscious of a blow on his
shoulder。
〃Why don't you pay attention？〃 said the rough voice of a workman；
carrying a plank on his shoulder。 The man passed on。 He was the voice
of Providence saying to the watcher： 〃What are you meddling with？
Think of your own duty； and leave these Parisians to their own
affairs。〃
The young man crossed his arms； then； as no one beheld him； he
suffered tears of rage to flow down his cheeks unchecked。 At last the
sight of the shadows moving behind the lighted windows gave him such
pain that he looked elsewhere and noticed a hackney…coach； standing
against a wall in the upper part of the rue des Vieux…Augustins； at a
place where there was neither the door of a house； nor the light of a
shop…window。
Was it she？ Was it not she？ Life or death to a lover！ This lover
waited。 He stood there during a century of twenty minutes。 After that
the woman came down； and he then recognized her as the one whom he
secretly loved。 Nevertheless； he wanted still to doubt。 She went to
the hackney…coach； and got into it。
〃The house will always be there and I can search it later；〃 thought
the young man； following the carriage at a run； to solve his last
doubts； and soon he did so。
The carriage stopped in the rue de Richelieu before a shop for
artificial flowers； close to the rue de Menars。 The lady got out；
entered the shop； sent out the money to pay the coachman； and
presently left the shop herself； on foot； after buying a bunch of
marabouts。 Marabouts for her black hair！ The officer beheld her；
through the window…panes； placing the feathers to her head to see the
effect； and he fancied he could hear the conversation between herself
and the shop…woman。
〃Oh！ madame； nothing is more suitable for brunettes： brunettes have
something a little too strongly marked in their lines； and marabouts
give them just that /flow/ which they lack。 Madame la Duchesse de
Langeais says they give a woman something vague； Ossianic； and very
high…bred。〃
〃Very good； send them to me at once。〃
Then the lady turned quickly toward the rue de Menars； and entered her
own house。 When the door closed on her； the young lover； having lost
his hopes； and worse； far worse； his dearest beliefs； walked through
the streets like a drunken man； and presently found himself in his own
room without knowing how he came there。 He flung himself into an arm…
chair； put his head in his hands and his feet on the andirons； drying
his boots until he burned them。 It was an awful moment；one of those
moments in human life when the character is moulded； and the future
conduct of the best of men depends on the good or evil fortune of his
first action。 Providence or fatality？choose which you will。
This young man belonged to a good family； whose nobility was not very
ancient； but there are so few really old families in these days； that
all men of rank are ancient without dispute。 His grandfather had
bought the office of counsellor to the Parliament of Paris； where he
afterwards became president。 His sons； each provided with a handsome
fortune； entered the army； and through their marriages became attached
to the court。 The Revolution swept the family away； but one old
dowager； too obstinate to emigrate； was left； she was put in prison；
threatened with death； but was saved by the 9th Thermidor and
recovered her property。 When the proper time came； about the year
1804； she recalled her grandson to France。 Auguste de Maulincour； the
only scion of the Carbonnon de Maulincour； was brought up by the good
dowager with the triple care of a mother； a woman of rank； and an
obstinate dowager。 When the Restoration came； the young man； then
eighteen years of age； entered the Maison…Rouge； followed the princes
to Ghent； was made an officer in the body…guard； left it to serve in
the line； but was recalled later to the Royal Guard； where； at twenty…
three years of age； he found himself major of a cavalry regiment；a
splendid position； due to his grandmother； who had played her cards
well to obtain it； in spite of his youth。 This double biography is a
compendium of the general and special history； barring variations； of
all the noble families who emigrated having debts and property；
dowagers and tact。
Madame la Baronne de Maulincour had a friend in the old Vidame de
Pamiers； formerly a commander of the Knights of Malta。 This was one of
those undying friendships founded on sexagenary ties which nothing can
weaken； because at the bottom of such intimacies there are certain
secrets of the human heart； delightful to guess at when we have the
time； insipid to explain in twenty words； and which might make the
text of a work in four volumes as amusing as the Doyen de Killerine；
a work about which young men talk and judge without having read it。
Auguste de Maulincour belonged therefore to the faubourg Saint…Germain
through his grandmother and the vidame； and it sufficed him to date
back two centuries to take the tone and opinions of those who assume
to go back to Clovis。 This young man； pale； slender； and delicate in
appearance； a man of honor and true courage； who would fight a duel
for a yes or a no； had never yet fought upon a battle…field； though he
wore in his button…hole the cross of the Legion of honor。 He was； as
you perceive； one of the blunders of the Restoration； perhaps the most
excusable of them。 The youth of those days was the youth of no epoch。
It came between the memories of the Empire and those of the
Emigration； between the old traditions of the court and the
conscientious education of the /bourgeoisie/； between religion and
fancy…balls； between two political faiths； between Louis XVIII。； who
saw only the present； and Charles X。； who looked too far into the
future； it was moreover bound to accept the will of the king； though
the king was deceiving and tricking it。 This unfortunate youth； blind
and yet clear…sighted； was counted as nothing by old men jealously
keeping the reins of the State in their feeble hands； while the
monarchy could have been saved by their retirement and the