his　rank　entitled　him　at　the　Maison　Rouge。　We　are　quite　content　that
  my　father　should　have　the　place。　This　forced　modesty；〃　she　added　with
  some　bitterness；　〃has　already　been　of　service　to　our　son。　The　king；　to
  whose　household　my　father　is　appointed；　said　very　graciously　that　he
  would　show　Jacques　the　favor　we　were　not　willing　to　accept。　Jacques'
  education；　which　must　now　be　thought　of；　is　already　being　discussed。
  He　will　be　the　representative　of　two　houses；　the　Lenoncourt　and　the
  Mortsauf　families。　I　can　have　no　ambition　except　for　him；　and
  therefore　my　anxieties　seem　to　have　increased。　Not　only　must　Jacques
  live；　but　he　must　be　made　worthy　of　his　name；　two　necessities　which；
  as　you　know；　conflict。　And　then；　later；　what　friend　will　keep　him　safe
  for　me　in　Paris；　where　all　things　are　pitfalls　for　the　soul　and
  dangers　for　the　body？　My　friend；〃　she　said；　in　a　broken　voice；　〃who
  could　not　see　upon　your　brow　and　in　your　eyes　that　you　are　one　who
  will　inhabit　heights？　Be　some　day　the　guardian　and　sponsor　of　our　boy。
  Go　to　Paris；　if　your　father　and　brother　will　not　second　you；　our
  family；　above　all　my　mother；　who　has　a　genius　for　the　management　of
  life；　will　help　you。　Profit　by　our　influence；　you　will　never　be
  without　support　in　whatever　career　you　choose；　put　the　strength　of
  your　desires　into　a　noble　ambition〃
  〃I　understand　you；〃　I　said；　interrupting　her；　〃ambition　is　to　be　my
  mistress。　I　have　no　need　of　that　to　be　wholly　yours。　No；　I　will　not　be
  rewarded　for　my　obedience　here　by　receiving　favors　there。　I　will　go；　I
  will　make　my　own　way；　I　will　rise　alone。　From　you　I　would　accept
  everything；　from　others　nothing。〃
  〃Child！〃　she　murmured；　ill…concealing　a　smile　of　pleasure。
  〃Besides；　I　have　taken　my　vows；〃　I　went　on。　〃Thinking　over　our
  situation　I　am　resolved　to　bind　myself　to　you　by　ties　that　never　can
  be　broken。〃
  She　trembled　slightly　and　stopped　short　to　look　at　me。
  〃What　do　you　mean？〃　she　asked；　letting　the　couples　who　preceded　us
  walk　on；　and　keeping　the　children　at　her　side。
  〃This；〃　I　said；　〃but　first　tell　me　frankly　how　you　wish　me　to　love
  you。〃
  〃Love　me　as　my　aunt　loved　me；　I　gave　you　her　rights　when　I　permitted
  you　to　call　me　by　the　name　which　she　chose　for　her　own　among　my
  others。〃
  〃Then　I　am　to　love　without　hope　and　with　an　absolute　devotion。　Well；
  yes；　I　will　do　for　you　what　some　men　do　for　God。　I　shall　feel　that　you
  have　asked　it。　I　will　enter　a　seminary　and　make　myself　a　priest；　and
  then　I　will　educate　your　son。　Jacques　shall　be　myself　in　his　own　form；
  political　conceptions；　thoughts；　energy；　patience；　I　will　give　him
  all。　In　that　way　I　shall　live　near　to　you；　and　my　love；　enclosed　in
  religion　as　a　silver　image　in　a　crystal　shrine；　can　never　be　suspected
  of　evil。　You　will　not　have　to　fear　the　undisciplined　passions　which
  grasp　a　man　and　by　which　already　I　have　allowed　myself　to　be
  vanquished。　I　will　consume　my　own　being　in　the　flame；　and　I　will　love
  you　with　a　purified　love。〃
  She　turned　pale　and　said；　hurrying　her　words：　〃Felix；　do　not　put
  yourself　in　bonds　that　might　prove　an　obstacle　to　our　happiness。　I
  should　die　of　grief　for　having　caused　a　suicide　like　that。　Child；　do
  you　think　despairing　love　a　life's　vocation？　Wait　for　life's　trials
  before　you　judge　of　life；　I　command　it。　Marry　neither　the　Church　nor　a
  woman；　marry　not　at　all；I　forbid　it。　Remain　free。　You　are　twenty…one
  years　oldMy　God！　can　I　have　mistaken　him？　I　thought　two　months
  sufficed　to　know　some　souls。〃
  〃What　hope　have　you？〃　I　cried；　with　fire　in　my　eyes。
  〃My　friend；　accept　our　help；　rise　in　life；　make　your　way　and　your
  fortune　and　you　shall　know　my　hope。　And；〃　she　added；　as　if　she　were
  whispering　a　secret；　〃never　release　the　hand　you　are　holding　at　this
  moment。〃
  She　bent　to　my　ear　as　she　said　these　words　which　proved　her　deep
  solicitude　for　my　future。
  〃Madeleine！〃　I　exclaimed　〃never！〃
  We　were　close　to　a　wooden　gate　which　opened　into　the　park　of　Frapesle；
  I　still　seem　to　see　its　ruined　posts　overgrown　with　climbing　plants
  and　briers　and　mosses。　Suddenly　an　idea；　that　of　the　count's　death；
  flashed　through　my　brain；　and　I　said；　〃I　understand　you。〃
  〃I　am　glad　of　it；〃　she　answered　in　a　tone　which　made　me　know　I　had
  supposed　her　capable　of　a　thought　that　could　never　be　hers。
  Her　purity　drew　tears　of　admiration　from　my　eyes　which　the　selfishness
  of　passion　made　bitter　indeed。　My　mind　reacted　and　I　felt　that　she　did
  not　love　me　enough　even　to　wish　for　liberty。　So　long　as　love　recoils
  from　a　crime　it　seems　to　have　its　limits；　and　love　should　be　infinite。
  A　spasm　shook　my　heart。
  〃She　does　not　love　me；〃　I　thought。
  To　hide　what　was　in　my　soul　I　stooped　over　Madeleine　and　kissed　her
  hair。
  〃I　am　afraid　of　your　mother；〃　I　said　to　the　countess　presently；　to
  renew　the　conversation。
  〃So　am　I；〃　she　answered　with　a　gesture　full　of　childlike　gaiety。
  〃Don't　forget　to　call　her　Madame　la　duchesse；　and　to　speak　to　her　in
  the　third　person。　The　young　people　of　the　present　day　have　lost　these
  polite　manners；　you　must　learn　them；　do　that　for　my　sake。　Besides；　it
  is　such　good　taste　to　respect　women；　no　matter　what　their　age　may　be；
  and　to　recognize　social　distinctions　without　disputing　them。　The
  respect　shown　to　established　superiority　is　guarantee　for　that　which
  is　due　to　you。　Solidarity　is　the　basis　of　society。　Cardinal　Della
  Rovere　and　Raffaelle　were　two　powers　equally　revered。　You　have　sucked
  the　milk　of　the　Revolution　in　your　academy　and　your　political　ideas
  may　be　influenced　by　it；　but　as　you　advance　in　life　you　will　find　that
  crude　and　ill…defined　principles　of　liberty　are　powerless　to　create
  the　happiness　of　the　people。　Before　considering；　as　a　Lenoncourt；　what
  an　aristocracy　ought　to　be；　my　common…sense　as　a　woman　of　the　people
  tells　me　that　societies　can　exist　only　through　a　hierarchy。　You　are
  now　at　a　turning…point　in　your　life；　when　you　must　choose　wisely。　Be
  on　our　side；especially　now；〃　she　added；　laughing；　〃when　it
  triumphs。〃
  I　was　keenly　touched　by　these　words；　in　which　the　depth　of　her
  political　feeling　mingled　with　the　warmth　of　affection；a　combination
  which　gives　to　women　so　great　a　power　of　persuasion；　they　know　how　to
  give　to　the　keenest　arguments　a　tone　of　feeling。　In　her　desire　to
  justify　all　her　husband's　actions　Henriette　had　foreseen　the
  criticisms　that　would　rise　in　my　mind　as　soon　as　I　saw　the　servile
  effects　of　a　courtier's　life　upon　him。　Monsieur　de　Mortsauf；　king　in
  his　own　castle　and　surrounded　by　an　historic　halo；　had；　to　my　eyes；　a
  certain　grandiose　dignity。　I　was　therefore　greatly　astonished　at　the
  distance　he　placed　between　the　duchess　and　himself　by　manners　that
  were　nothing　less　than　obsequious。　A　slave　has　his　pride　and　will　only
  serve　the　greatest　despots。　I　confess　I　was　humiliated　at　the
  degradation　of　one　before　whom　I　trembled　as　the　power　that　ruled　my
  love。　This　inward　repulsion　made　me　understand　the　martyrdom　of　women
  of　generous　souls　yoked　to　men　whose　meannesses　they　bury　daily。
  Respect　is　a　safeguard　which　protects　both　great　and　small　alike；　each
  side　can　hold　its　own。　I　was　respectful　to　the　duchess　because　of　my
  youth；　but　where　others　saw　only　a　duchess　I　saw　the　mother　of　my
  Henriette；　and　that　gave　sanctity　to　my　homage。
  We　reached　the　great　court…yard　of　Frapesle；　where　we　found　the
  others。　The　Comte　de　Mortsauf　presented　me　very　gracefully　to　the
  duchess；　who　examined　me　with　a　cold　and　reserved　air。　Madame　de
  Lenoncourt　was　then　a　woman　fifty…six　years　of　age；　wonderfully　well
  preserved　and　with　grand　manners。　When　I　saw　the　hard　blue　eyes；　the
  hollow　temples；　the　thin　emaciated　face；　the　erect；　imposing　figure
  slow　of　movement；　and　the　yellow　whiteness　of　the　skin　（reproduced
  with　such　brilliancy　in　the　daughter）；　I　recognized　the　cold　type　to
  which　my　own　mother　belonged；　as　quickly　as　a　mineralogist　recognizes
  Swedish　iron。　Her　language　was　that　of　the　old　court；　she　pronounced
  the　〃oit〃　like　〃ait；〃　and　said　〃frait〃　for　〃froid；〃　〃porteux〃　for
  〃porteurs。〃　I　was　not　a　courtier；　neither　was　I　stiff…backed　in　my
  manner　to　her；　in　fact　I　behaved　so　well　that　as　I　passed　the　countess
  she　said　in　a　low　voice；　〃You　are　perfect。〃
  The　count　came　to　me　and　took　my　hand；　saying：　〃You　are　not　angry　with
  me；　Felix；　are　you？　If　I　was　hasty　you　will　pardon　an　old　soldier？　We
  shall　probably　stay　here　to　dinner；　and　I　invite　you　to　dine　with　us
  on　Thursday；　the　evening　before　the　duchess　leaves。　I　must　go　to　Tours
  to…morrow　to　settle　some　business。　Don't　neglect　Clochegourde。　My
  mother…in…law　is　an　acquaintance　I　advise　you　to　cultivate。　Her　salon
  will　set　the　tone　for　the　faubourg　St。　Germain。　She　has　all　the
  traditions　of　the　great　world；　and　possesses　an　immense　amount　of
  social　knowledge；　she　knows　the　blazon　of　the　oldest　as　well　as　the
  newest　family　in　Europe。〃
  The　count's　good　taste；　or　perhaps　the　advice　of　his　domestic　genius；
  app