mentioned　the　amount　I　could　pay；　it　seemed　to　cause　her　no　surprise；
  she　sought　out　a　key　from　the　row；　went　up　to　the　attics　with　me；　and
  showed　me　a　room　that　looked　out　on　the　neighboring　roofs　and　courts；
  long　poles　with　linen　drying　on　them　hung　out　of　the　window。
  〃Nothing　could　be　uglier　than　this　garret；　awaiting　its　scholar；　with
  its　dingy　yellow　walls　and　odor　of　poverty。　The　roofing　fell　in　a
  steep　slope；　and　the　sky　was　visible　through　chinks　in　the　tiles。
  There　was　room　for　a　bed；　a　table；　and　a　few　chairs；　and　beneath　the
  highest　point　of　the　roof　my　piano　could　stand。　Not　being　rich　enough
  to　furnish　this　cage　（that　might　have　been　one　of　the　Piombi　of
  Venice）；　the　poor　woman　had　never　been　able　to　let　it；　and　as　I　had
  saved　from　the　recent　sale　the　furniture　that　was　in　a　fashion
  peculiarly　mine；　I　very　soon　came　to　terms　with　my　landlady；　and　moved
  in　on　the　following　day。
  〃For　three　years　I　lived　in　this　airy　sepulchre；　and　worked
  unflaggingly　day　and　night；　and　so　great　was　the　pleasure　that　study
  seemed　to　me　the　fairest　theme　and　the　happiest　solution　of　life。　The
  tranquillity　and　peace　that　a　scholar　needs　is　something　as　sweet　and
  exhilarating　as　love。　Unspeakable　joys　are　showered　on　us　by　the
  exertion　of　our　mental　faculties；　the　quest　of　ideas；　and　the　tranquil
  contemplation　of　knowledge；　delights　indescribable；　because　purely
  intellectual　and　impalpable　to　our　senses。　So　we　are　obliged　to　use
  material　terms　to　express　the　mysteries　of　the　soul。　The　pleasure　of
  striking　out　in　some　lonely　lake　of　clear　water；　with　forests；　rocks；
  and　flowers　around；　and　the　soft　stirring　of　the　warm　breeze；all
  this　would　give；　to　those　who　knew　them　not；　a　very　faint　idea　of　the
  exultation　with　which　my　soul　bathed　itself　in　the　beams　of　an　unknown
  light；　hearkened　to　the　awful　and　uncertain　voice　of　inspiration；　as
  vision　upon　vision　poured　from　some　unknown　source　through　my
  throbbing　brain。
  〃No　earthly　pleasure　can　compare　with　the　divine　delight　of　watching
  the　dawn　of　an　idea　in　the　space　of　abstractions　as　it　rises　like　the
  morning　sun；　an　idea　that；　better　still；　attains　gradually　like　a
  child　to　puberty　and　man's　estate。　Study　lends　a　kind　of　enchantment
  to　all　our　surroundings。　The　wretched　desk　covered　with　brown　leather
  at　which　I　wrote；　my　piano；　bed；　and　armchair；　the　odd　wall…paper　and
  furniture　seemed　to　have　for　me　a　kind　of　life　in　them；　and　to　be
  humble　friends　of　mine　and　mute　partakers　of　my　destiny。　How　often
  have　I　confided　my　soul　to　them　in　a　glance！　A　warped　bit　of　beading
  often　met　my　eyes；　and　suggested　new　developments；a　striking　proof
  of　my　system；　or　a　felicitous　word　by　which　to　render　my　all　but
  inexpressible　thought。　By　sheer　contemplation　of　the　things　about　me　I
  discerned　an　expression　and　a　character　in　each。　If　the　setting　sun
  happened　to　steal　in　through　my　narrow　window；　they　would　take　new
  colors；　fade　or　shine；　grow　dull　or　gay；　and　always　amaze　me　with　some
  new　effect。　These　trifling　incidents　of　a　solitary　life；　which　escape
  those　preoccupied　with　outward　affairs；　make　the　solace　of　prisoners。
  And　what　was　I　but　the　captive　of　an　idea；　imprisoned　in　my　system；
  but　sustained　also　by　the　prospect　of　a　brilliant　future？　At　each
  obstacle　that　I　overcame；　I　seemed　to　kiss　the　soft　hands　of　a　woman
  with　a　fair　face；　a　wealthy；　well…dressed　woman；　who　should　some　day
  say　softly；　while　she　caressed　my　hair：
  〃　'Poor　Angel；　how　thou　hast　suffered！'
  〃I　had　undertaken　two　great　worksone　a　comedy　that　in　a　very　short
  time　must　bring　me　wealth　and　fame；　and　an　entry　into　those　circles
  whither　I　wished　to　return；　to　exercise　the　royal　privileges　of　a　man
  of　genius。　You　all　saw　nothing　in　that　masterpiece　but　the　blunder　of
  a　young　man　fresh　from　college；　a　babyish　fiasco。　Your　jokes　clipped
  the　wings　of　a　throng　of　illusions；　which　have　never　stirred　since
  within　me。　You；　dear　Emile；　alone　brought　soothing　to　the　deep　wounds
  that　others　had　made　in　my　heart。　You　alone　will　admire　my　'Theory　of
  the　Will。'　I　devoted　most　of　my　time　to　that　long　work；　for　which　I
  studied　Oriental　languages；　physiology　and　anatomy。　If　I　do　not
  deceive　myself；　my　labors　will　complete　the　task　begun　by　Mesmer；
  Lavater；　Gall；　and　Bichat；　and　open　up　new　paths　in　science。
  〃There　ends　that　fair　life　of　mine；　the　daily　sacrifice；　the
  unrecognized　silkworm's　toil；　that　is；　perhaps；　its　own　sole
  recompense。　Since　attaining　years　of　discretion；　until　the　day　when　I
  finished　my　'Theory；'　I　observed；　learned；　wrote；　and　read
  unintermittingly；　my　life　was　one　long　imposition；　as　schoolboys　say。
  Though　by　nature　effeminately　attached　to　Oriental　indolence；　sensual
  in　tastes；　and　a　wooer　of　dreams；　I　worked　incessantly；　and　refused　to
  taste　any　of　the　enjoyments　of　Parisian　life。　Though　a　glutton；　I
  became　abstemious；　and　loving　exercise　and　sea　voyages　as　I　did；　and
  haunted　by　the　wish　to　visit　many　countries；　still　child　enough　to
  play　at　ducks　and　drakes　with　pebbles　over　a　pond；　I　led　a　sedentary
  life　with　a　pen　in　my　fingers。　I　liked　talking；　but　I　went　to　sit　and
  mutely　listen　to　professors　who　gave　public　lectures　at　the
  Bibliotheque　or　the　Museum。　I　slept　upon　my　solitary　pallet　like　a
  Benedictine　brother；　though　woman　was　my　one　chimera；　a　chimera　that
  fled　from　me　as　I　wooed　it！　In　short；　my　life　has　been　a　cruel
  contradiction；　a　perpetual　cheat。　After　that；　judge　a　man！
  〃Sometimes　my　natural　propensities　broke　out　like　a　fire　long
  smothered。　I　was　debarred　from　the　women　whose　society　I　desired；
  stripped　of　everything　and　lodged　in　an　artist's　garret；　and　by　a　sort
  of　mirage　or　calenture　I　was　surrounded　by　captivating　mistresses。　I
  drove　through　the　streets　of　Paris；　lolling　on　the　soft　cushions　of　a
  fine　equipage。　I　plunged　into　dissipation；　into　corroding　vice；　I
  desired　and　possessed　everything；　for　fasting　had　made　me　light…headed
  like　the　tempted　Saint　Anthony。　Slumber；　happily；　would　put　an　end　at
  last　to　these　devastating　trances；　and　on　the　morrow　science　would
  beckon　me；　smiling；　and　I　was　faithful　to　her。　I　imagine　that　women
  reputed　virtuous；　must　often　fall　a　prey　to　these　insane　tempests　of
  desire　and　passion；　which　rise　in　us　in　spite　of　ourselves。　Such
  dreams　have　a　charm　of　their　own；　they　are　something　akin　to　evening
  gossip　round　the　winter　fire；　when　one　sets　out　for　some　voyage　in
  China。　But　what　becomes　of　virtue　during　these　delicious　excursions；
  when　fancy　overleaps　all　difficulties？
  〃During　the　first　ten　months　of　seclusion　I　led　the　life　of　poverty
  and　solitude　that　I　have　described　to　you；　I　used　to　steal　out
  unobserved　every　morning　to　buy　my　own　provisions　for　the　day；　I
  tidied　my　room；　I　was　at　once　master　and　servant；　and　played　the
  Diogenes　with　incredible　spirit。　But　afterwards；　while　my　hostess　and
  her　daughter　watched　my　ways　and　behavior；　scrutinized　my　appearance
  and　divined　my　poverty；　there　could　not　but　be　some　bonds　between　us；
  perhaps　because　they　were　themselves　so　very　poor。　Pauline；　the
  charming　child；　whose　latent　and　unconscious　grace　had；　in　a　manner；
  brought　me　there；　did　me　many　services　that　I　could　not　well　refuse。
  All　women　fallen　on　evil　days　are　sisters；　they　speak　a　common
  language；　they　have　the　same　generositythe　generosity　that　possesses
  nothing；　and　so　is　lavish　of　its　affection；　of　its　time；　and　of　its
  very　self。
  〃Imperceptibly　Pauline　took　me　under　her　protection；　and　would　do
  things　for　me。　No　kind　of　objection　was　made　by　her　mother；　whom　I
  even　surprised　mending　my　linen；　she　blushed　for　the　charitable
  occupation。　In　spite　of　myself；　they　took　charge　of　me；　and　I　accepted
  their　services。
  〃In　order　to　understand　the　peculiar　condition　of　my　mind；　my
  preoccupation　with　work　must　be　remembered；　the　tyranny　of　ideas；　and
  the　instinctive　repugnance　that　a　man　who　leads　an　intellectual　life
  must　ever　feel　for　the　material　details　of　existence。　Could　I　well
  repulse　the　delicate　attentions　of　Pauline；　who　would　noiselessly
  bring　me　my　frugal　repast；　when　she　noticed　that　I　had　taken　nothing
  for　seven　or　eight　hours？　She　had　the　tact　of　a　woman　and　the
  inventiveness　of　a　child；　she　would　smile　as　she　made　sign　to　me　that
  I　must　not　see　her。　Ariel　glided　under　my　roof　in　the　form　of　a　sylph
  who　foresaw　every　want　of　mine。
  〃One　evening　Pauline　told　me　her　story　with　touching　simplicity。　Her
  father　had　been　a　major　in　the　horse　grenadiers　of　the　Imperial　Guard。
  He　had　been　taken　prisoner　by　the　Cossacks；　at　the　passage　of
  Beresina；　and　when　Napoleon　later　on　proposed　an　exchange；　the　Russian
  authorities　made　search　for　him　in　Siberia　in　vain；　he　had　escaped
  with　a　view　of　reaching　India；　and　since　then　Mme。　Gaudin；　my
  landlady；　could　hear　no　news　of　her　husband。　Then　came　the　disasters
  of　1814　and　1815；　and；　left　alone　and　without　resource；　she　had
  decided　to　let　furnished　lodgings　in　order　to　keep　herself　and　her
  daughter。
  〃She　always　hoped　to　see　her　husband　again。　Her　greatest　trouble　was
  about　her　daughter's　education；　the　Princess　Borghese　was　her
  Pauline's　godmother；　and　Pauline　must　not　be　unworthy　of　the　fair
  future　promised　by　her　imperial　protectress。　When　Mme。　Gaudin　confided
  to　me　this　heavy　trouble