people　might　find　plenty　of　time　for　being　serious　and　reasonable
  in　the　evening　of　life；　when　they　are　at　the　bottom　of　the　hill；
  and　their　looking…glasses　reveal　a　wrinkled　face；　surrounded　with
  white　hair。
  A　thorough…bred　Parisian；　whom　one　would　follow　to　the　end　of　the
  world；　like　a　poodle；　a　woman　whom　one　adores　with　the　head；　the
  heart；　and　the　senses　until　one　is　nearly　driven　mad；　as　soon　as
  one　has　inhaled　the　delicate　perfume　that　emanates　from　her　dress
  and　hair；　or　touched　her　skin；　and　heard　her　laugh；　a　woman　for
  whom　one　would　fight　a　duel　and　risk　one's　life　without　a
  thought；　for　whom　a　man　would　remove　mountains；　and　sell　his　soul
  to　the　devil　several　times　over；　if　the　devil　were　still　in　the
  habit　of　frequenting　the　places　of　bad　repute　on　this　earth。
  She　had　perhaps　come　to　see　this　Garrulier；　whom　she　had　so　often
  heard　mentioned　at　five　o'clock　teas；　so　as　to　be　able　to
  describe　him　to　her　female　friends　subsequently　in　droll　phrases；
  imitating　his　gestures　and　the　unctuous　inflections　of　his　voice；
  in　order；　perhaps；　to　experience　some　new　sensation；　or；　perhaps；
  for　the　sake　of　dressing　like　a　woman　who　was　going　to　try　for　a
  divorce；　and；　certainly；　the　whole　effect　was　perfect。　She　wore　a
  splendid　cloak　embroidered　with　jetwhich　gave　an　almost　serious
  effect　to　her　golden　hair；　to　her　small　slightly　turned…up　nose；
  with　its　quivering　nostrils；　and　to　her　large　eyes；　full　of
  enigma　and　funover　a　dark　stuff　dress；　which　was　fastened　at
  the　neck　by　a　sapphire　and　a　diamond　pin。
  The　barrister　did　not　interrupt　her；　but　allowed　her　to　get
  excited　and　to　chatter；　to　enumerate　her　causes　for　complaint
  against　poor　Count　de　Baudemont；　who　certainly　had　no　suspicion
  of　his　wife's　escapade；　and　who　would　have　been　very　much
  surprised　if　anyone　had　told　him　of　it　at　that　moment；　when　he
  was　taking　his　fencing　lesson　at　the　club。
  When　she　had　quite　finished；　he　said　coolly；　as　if　he　were
  throwing　a　pail　of　water　on　some　burning　straw：
  〃But；　Madame；　there　is　not　the　slightest　pretext　for　a　divorce　in
  anything　that　you　have　told　me　here。　The　judges　would　ask　me
  whether　I　took　the　Law　Courts　for　a　theater；　and　intended　to　make
  fun　of　them。〃
  And　seeing　how　disheartened　she　was；that　she　looked　like　a
  child　whose　favorite　toy　had　been　broken；　that　she　was　so　pretty
  that　he　would　have　liked　to　kiss　her　hands　in　his　devotion；　and
  as　she　seemed　to　be　witty；　and　very　amusing；　and　as；　moreover；　he
  had　no　objection　to　such　visits　being　prolonged；　when　papers　had
  to　be　looked　over；　while　sitting　close　together；Maitre
  Garrulier　appeared　to　be　considering。　Taking　his　chin　in　his
  hand；　he　said：
  〃However；　I　will　think　it　over；　there　is　sure　to　be　some　dark
  spot　that　can　be　made　out　worse。　Write　to　me；　and　come　and　see　me
  again。〃
  In　the　course　of　her　visits；　that　black　spot　had　increased　so
  much　and　Madame　de　Baudemont　had　followed　her　lawyer's　advice　so
  punctually；　and　had　played　on　the　various　strings　so　skillfully
  that　a　few　months　later；　after　a　lawsuit；　which　is　still　spoken
  of　in　the　Courts　of　Justice；　and　during　the　course　of　which　the
  President　had　to　take　off　his　spectacles；　and　to　use　his
  pocket…handkerchief　noisily；　the　divorce　was　pronounced　in　favor
  of　the　Countess　Marie　Anne　Nicole　Bournet　de　Baudemont；　nee　de
  Tanchart　de　Peothus。
  The　Count；　who　was　nonplussed　at　such　an　adventure　turning　out　so
  seriously；　first　of　all　flew　into　a　terrible　rage；　rushed　off　to
  the　lawyer's　office　and　threatened　to　cut　off　his　knavish　ears
  for　him。　But　when　his　access　of　fury　was　over；　and　he　thought　of
  it；　he　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　said：
  〃All　the　better　for　her；　if　it　amuses　her！〃
  Then　he　bought　Baron　Silberstein's　yacht；　and　with　some　friends；
  got　up　a　cruise　to　Ceylon　and　India。
  Marie　Anne　began　by　triumphing；　and　felt　as　happy　as　a　schoolgirl
  going　home　for　the　holidays；　she　committed　every　possible　folly；
  and　soon；　tired；　satiated；　and　disgusted；　began　to　yawn；　cried；
  and　found　out　that　she　had　sacrificed　her　happiness；　like　a
  millionaire　who　has　gone　mad　and　has　cast　his　banknotes　and
  shares　into　the　river；　and　that　she　was　nothing　more　than　a
  disabled　waif　and　stray。　Consequently；　she　now　married　again；　as
  the　solitude　of　her　home　made　her　morose　from　morning　till　night；
  and　then；　besides；　she　found　a　woman　requires　a　mansion　when　she
  goes　into　society；　to　race　meetings；　or　to　the　theater。
  And　so；　while　she　became　a　marchioness；　and　pronounced　her　second
  〃Yes；〃　before　a　very　few　friends；　at　the　office　of　the　mayor　of
  the　English　urban　district；　malicious　people　in　the　Faubourg　were
  making　fun　of　the　whole　affair；　and　affirming　this　and　that；
  whether　rightly　or　wrongly；　and　comparing　the　present　husband　to
  the　former　one；　even　declaring　that　he　had　partially　been　the
  cause　of　the　former　divorce。　Meanwhile　Monsieur　de　Baudemont　was
  wandering　over　the　four　quarters　of　the　globe　trying　to　overcome
  his　homesickness；　and　to　deaden　his　longing　for　love；　which　had
  taken　possession　of　his　heart　and　of　his　body；　like　a　slow
  poison。
  He　traveled　through　the　most　out…of…the…way　places；　and　the　most
  lovely　countries；　and　spent　months　and　months　at　sea；　and　plunged
  into　every　kind　of　dissipation　and　debauchery。　But　neither　the
  supple　forms　nor　the　luxurious　gestures　of　the　bayaderes；　nor　the
  large　passive　eyes　of　the　Creoles；　nor　flirtations　with　English
  girls　with　hair　the　color　of　new　cider；　nor　nights　of　waking
  dreams；　when　he　saw　new　constellations　in　the　sky；　nor　dangers
  during　which　a　man　thinks　it　is　all　over　with　him；　and　mutters　a
  few　words　of　prayer　in　spite　of　himself；　when　the　waves　are　high；
  and　the　sky　black；　nothing　was　able　to　make　him　forget　that
  little　Parisian　woman　who　smelled　so　sweet　that　she　might　have
  been　taken　for　a　bouquet　of　rare　flowers；　who　was　so　coaxing；　so
  curious；　so　funny；　who　never　had　the　same　caprice；　the　same
  smile；　or　the　same　look　twice；　and　who；　at　bottom；　was　worth　more
  than　many　others；　either　saints　or　sinners。
  He　thought　of　her　constantly；　during　long　hours　of　sleeplessness。
  He　carried　her　portrait　about　with　him　in　the　breast　pocket　of
  his　pea…jacketa　charming　portrait　in　which　she　was　smiling；　and
  showing　her　white　teeth　between　her　half…open　lips。　Her　gentle
  eyes　with　their　magnetic　look　had　a　happy；　frank　expression；　and
  from　the　mere　arrangement　of　her　hair；　one　could　see　that　she　was
  fair　among　the　fair。
  He　used　to　kiss　that　portrait　of　the　woman　who　had　been　his　wife
  as　if　he　wished　to　efface　it；　would　look　at　it　for　hours；　and
  then　throw　himself　down　on　the　netting　and　sob　like　a　child　as　he
  looked　at　the　infinite　expanse　before　him；　seeming　to　see　their
  lost　happiness；　the　joys　of　their　perished　affections；　and　the
  divine　remembrance　of　their　love；　in　the　monotonous　waste　of
  green　waters。　And　he　tried　to　accuse　himself　for　all　that　had
  occurred；　and　not　to　be　angry　with　her；　to　think　that　his
  grievances　were　imaginary；　and　to　adore　her　in　spite　of
  everything　and　always。
  And　so　he　roamed　about　the　world；　tossed　to　and　fro；　suffering
  and　hoping　he　knew　not　what。　He　ventured　into　the　greatest
  dangers；　and　sought　for　death　just　as　a　man　seeks　for　his
  mistress；　and　death　passed　close　to　him　without　touching　him；
  perhaps　amused　at　his　grief　and　misery。
  For　he　was　as　wretched　as　a　stone…breaker；　as　one　of　those　poor
  devils　who　work　and　nearly　break　their　backs　over　the　hard　flints
  the　whole　day　long；　under　the　scorching　sun　or　the　cold　rain；　and
  Marie　Anne　herself　was　not　happy；　for　she　was　pining　for　the　past
  and　remembered　their　former　love。
  At　last；　however；　he　returned　to　France；　changed；　tanned　by
  exposure；　sun；　and　rain；　and　transformed　as　if　by　some　witch's
  philter。
  Nobody　would　have　recognized　the　elegant　and　effeminate　clubman；
  in　this　corsair　with　broad　shoulders；　a　skin　the　color　of　tan；
  with　very　red　lips；　who　rolled　a　little　in　his　walk；　who　seemed
  to　be　stifled　in　his　black　dress…coat；　but　who　still　retained　the
  distinguished　manners　and　bearing　of　a　nobleman　of　the　last
  century；　one　of　those　who；　when　he　was　ruined；　fitted　out　a
  privateer；　and　fell　upon　the　English　wherever　he　met　them；　from
  St。　Malo　to　Calcutta。　And　wherever　he　showed　himself　his　friends
  exclaimed：
  〃Why！　Is　that　you？　I　should　never　have　known　you　again！〃
  He　was　very　nearly　starting　off　again　immediately；　he　even
  telegraphed　orders　to　Havre　to　get　the　steam…yacht　ready　for　sea
  directly；　when　he　heard　that　Marie　Anne　had　married　again。
  He　saw　her　in　the　distance；　at　the　Theatre　Francais　one　Tuesday；
  and　when　he　noticed　how　pretty；　how　fair；　how　desirable　she
  was；looking　so　melancholy；　with　all　the　appearance　of　an
  unhappy　soul　that　regrets　something；his　determination　grew
  weaker；　and　he　delayed　his　departure　from　week　to　week；　and
  waited；　without　knowing　why；　until；　at　last；　worn　out　with　t