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〃 'Yes；' replied she with threatening audacity； 'I insist on it。 Be
curious； and tell me all that you can find out about me； but；' and she
held up her finger； 'you must also tell me by what means you obtain
your information。 The preservation of the small happiness I enjoy here
depends on the steps you take。'
〃 'That means that you will fly'
〃 'On wings！' she cried； 'to the New World'
〃 'Where you will be at the mercy of the brutal passions you will
inspire；' said I； interrupting her。 'Is it not the very essence of
genius and beauty to shine； to attract men's gaze； to excite desires
and evil thoughts？ Paris is a desert with Bedouins； Paris is the only
place in the world where those who must work for their livelihood can
hide their life。 What have you to complain of？ Who am I？ An additional
servantM。 Gobain； that is all。 If you have to fight a duel； you may
need a second。'
〃 'Never mind； find out who I am。 I have already said that I insist。
Now； I beg that you will；' she went on； with the grace which you
ladies have at command；〃 said the Consul； looking at the ladies。
〃 'Well； then； to…morrow； at the same hour； I will tell you what I may
have discovered；' replied I。 'But do not therefore hate me！ Will you
behave like other women？'
〃 'What do other women do？'
〃 'They lay upon us immense sacrifices； and when we have made them；
they reproach us for it some time later as if it were an injury。'
〃 'They are right if the thing required appears to be a sacrifice！'
replied she pointedly。
〃 'Instead of sacrifices； say efforts and'
〃 'It would be an impertinence；' said she。
〃 'Forgive me；' said I。 'I forget that woman and the Pope are
infallible。'
〃 'Good heavens！' said she after a long pause； 'only two words would
be enough to destroy the peace so dearly bought； and which I enjoy
like a fraud'
〃She rose and paid no further heed to me。
〃 'Where can I go？' she said。 'What is to become of me？Must I leave
this quiet retreat； that I had arranged with such care to end my days
in？'
〃 'To end your days！' exclaimed I with visible alarm。 'Has it never
struck you that a time would come when you could no longer work； when
competition will lower the price of flowers and articles of
fashion？'
〃 'I have already saved a thousand crowns；' she said。
〃 'Heavens！ what privations such a sum must represent！' I exclaimed。
〃 'Leave me；' said she； 'till to…morrow。 This evening I am not myself；
I must be alone。 Must I not save my strength in case of disaster？ For；
if you should learn anything； others besides you would be informed；
and thenGood…night；' she added shortly； dismissing me with an
imperious gesture。
〃 'The battle is to…morrow； then；' I replied with a smile； to keep up
the appearance of indifference I had given to the scene。 But as I went
down the avenue I repeated the words：
〃 'The battle is to…morrow。'
〃Octave's anxiety was equal to Honorine's。 The Count and I remained
together till two in the morning； walking to and fro by the trenches
of the Bastille； like two generals who； on the eve of a battle；
calculate all the chances； examine the ground； and perceive that the
victory must depend on an opportunity to be seized half…way through
the fight。 These two divided beings would each lie awake； one in the
hope； the other in agonizing dread of reunion。 The real dramas of life
are not in circumstances； but in feelings； they are played in the
heart； or； if you please； in that vast realm which we ought to call
the Spiritual World。 Octave and Honorine moved and lived altogether in
the world of lofty spirits。
〃I was punctual。 At ten next evening I was； for the first time； shown
into a charming bedroom furnished with white and bluethe nest of
this wounded dove。 The Countess looked at me； and was about to speak；
but was stricken dumb by my respectful demeanor。
〃 'Madame la Comtesse；' said I with a grave smile。
〃The poor woman； who had risen； dropped back into her chair and
remained there； sunk in an attitude of grief； which I should have
liked to see perpetuated by a great painter。
〃 'You are；' I went on； 'the wife of the noblest and most highly
respected of men； of a man who is acknowledged to be great； but who is
far greater in his conduct to you than he is in the eyes of the world。
You and he are two lofty natures。Where do you suppose yourself to be
living？' I asked her。
〃 'In my own house；' she replied； opening her eyes with a wide stare
of astonishment。
〃 'In Count Octave's；' I replied。 'You have been tricked。 M。
Lenormand； the usher of the Court； is not the real owner； he is only a
screen for your husband。 The delightful seclusion you enjoy is the
Count's work； the money you earn is paid by him； and his protection
extends to the most trivial details of your existence。 Your husband
has saved you in the eyes of the world； he has assigned plausible
reasons for your disappearance； he professes to hope that you were not
lost in the wreck of the /Cecile/； the ship in which you sailed for
Havana to secure the fortune to be left to you by an old aunt； who
might have forgotten you； you embarked； escorted by two ladies of her
family and an old man…servant。 The Count says that he has sent agents
to various spots； and received letters which give him great hopes。 He
takes as many precautions to hide you from all eyes as you take
yourself。 In short； he obeys you 。 。 。'
〃 'That is enough；' she said。 'I want to know but one thing more。 From
whom have you obtained all these details？'
〃 'Well； madame； my uncle got a place for a penniless youth as
secretary to the Commissary of police in this part of Paris。 That
young man told me everything。 If you leave this house this evening；
however stealthily； your husband will know where you are gone； and his
care will follow you everywhere。How could a woman so clever as you
are believe that shopkeepers buy flowers and caps as dear as they sell
them？ Ask a thousand crowns for a bouquet； and you will get it。 No
mother's tenderness was ever more ingenious than your husband's！ I
have learned from the porter of this house that the Count often comes
behind the fence when all are asleep； to see the glimmer of your
nightlight！ Your large cashmere shawl cost six thousand francsyour
old…clothes…seller brings you； as second hand； things fresh from the
best makers。 In short； you are living here like Venus in the toils of
Vulcan； but you are alone in your prison by the devices of a sublime
magnanimity； sublime for seven years past； and at every hour。'
〃The Countess was trembling as a trapped swallow trembles while； as
you hold it in your hand； it strains its neck to look about it with
wild eyes。 She shook with a nervous spasm； studying me with a defiant
look。 Her dry eyes glittered with a light that was almost hot： still；
she was a woman！ The moment came when her tears forced their way； and
she weptnot because she was touched； but because she was helpless；
they were tears of desperation。 She had believed herself independent
and free； marriage weighed on her as the prison cell does on the
captive。
〃 'I will go！' she cried through her tears。 'He forces me to it； I
will go where no one certainly will come after me。'
〃 'What；' I said； 'you would kill yourself？Madame； you must have
some very powerful reasons for not wishing to return to Comte Octave。'
〃 'Certainly I have！'
〃 'Well； then； tell them to me； tell them to my uncle。 In us you will
find two devoted advisers。 Though in the confessional my uncle is a
priest； he never is one in a drawing…room。 We will hear you； we will
try to find a solution of the problems you may lay before us； and if
you are the dupe or the victim of some misapprehension； perhaps we can
clear the matter up。 Your soul； I believe； is pure； but if you have
done wrong； your fault is fully expiated。 。 。 。 At any rate； remember
that in me you have a most sincere friend。 If you should wish to evade
the Count's tyranny； I will find you the means； he shall never find
you。'
〃 'Oh！ there is always a convent！' said she。
〃 'Yes。 But the Count； as Minister of State； can procure your
rejection by every convent in the world。 Even though he is pow