done　good　service　to　the　royalist　cause。　〃I　shall　always　distrust　men
  of　talent；〃　he　said。
  Presently　the　count　proposed　that　we　should　make　the　tour　of　the
  gardens。
  〃Monsieur〃　said　his　wife。
  〃Well；　what；　my　dear？〃　he　said；　turning　to　her　with　an　arrogant
  harshness　which　showed　plainly　enough　how　absolute　he　chose　to　be　in
  his　own　home。
  〃Monsieur　de　Vandenesse　walked　from　Tours　this　morning　and　Monsieur　de
  Chessel；　not　aware　of　it；　has　already　taken　him　on　foot　over
  Frapesle。〃
  〃Very　imprudent　of　you；〃　the　count　said；　turning　to　me；　〃but　at　your
  age〃　and　he　shook　his　head　in　sign　of　regret。
  The　conversation　was　resumed。　I　soon　saw　how　intractable　his　royalism
  was；　and　how　much　care　was　needed　to　swim　safely　in　his　waters。　The
  man…servant；　who　had　now　put　on　his　livery；　announced　dinner。　Monsieur
  de　Chessel　gave　his　arm　to　Madame　de　Mortsauf；　and　the　count　gaily
  seized　mine　to　lead　me　into　the　dining…room；　which　was　on　the　ground…
  floor　facing　the　salon。
  This　room；　floored　with　white　tiles　made　in　Touraine；　and　wainscoted
  to　the　height　of　three　feet；　was　hung　with　a　varnished　paper　divided
  into　wide　panels　by　wreaths　of　flowers　and　fruit；　the　windows　had
  cambric　curtains　trimmed　with　red；　the　buffets　were　old　pieces　by
  Boulle　himself；　and　the　woodwork　of　the　chairs；　which　were　covered　by
  hand…made　tapestry；　was　carved　oak。　The　dinner；　plentifully　supplied；
  was　not　luxurious；　family　silver　without　uniformity；　Dresden　china
  which　was　not　then　in　fashion；　octagonal　decanters；　knives　with　agate
  handles；　and　lacquered　trays　beneath　the　wine…bottles；　were　the　chief
  features　of　the　table；　but　flowers　adorned　the　porcelain　vases　and
  overhung　the　gilding　of　their　fluted　edges。　I　delighted　in　these
  quaint　old　things。　I　thought　the　Reveillon　paper　with　its　flowery
  garlands　beautiful。　The　sweet　content　that　filled　my　sails　hindered　me
  from　perceiving　the　obstacles　which　a　life　so　uniform；　so　unvarying　in
  solitude　of　the　country　placed　between　her　and　me。　I　was　near　her；
  sitting　at　her　right　hand；　serving　her　with　wine。　Yes；　unhoped…for
  joy！　I　touched　her　dress；　I　ate　her　bread。　At　the　end　of　three　hours
  my　life　had　mingled　with　her　life！　That　terrible　kiss　had　bound　us　to
  each　other　in　a　secret　which　inspired　us　with　mutual　shame。　A　glorious
  self…abasement　took　possession　of　me。　I　studied　to　please　the　count；　I
  fondled　the　dogs；　I　would　gladly　have　gratified　every　desire　of　the
  children；　I　would　have　brought　them　hoops　and　marbles　and　played　horse
  with　them；　I　was　even　provoked　that　they　did　not　already　fasten　upon
  me　as　a　thing　of　their　own。　Love　has　intuitions　like　those　of　genius；
  and　I　dimly　perceived　that　gloom；　discontent；　hostility　would　destroy
  my　footing　in　that　household。
  The　dinner　passed　with　inward　happiness　on　my　part。　Feeling　that　I　was
  there；　under　her　roof；　I　gave　no　heed　to　her　obvious　coldness；　nor　to
  the　count's　indifference　masked　by　his　politeness。　Love；　like　life；
  has　an　adolescence　during　which　period　it　suffices　unto　itself。　I　made
  several　stupid　replies　induced　by　the　tumults　of　passion；　but　no　one
  perceived　their　cause；　not　even　SHE；　who　knew　nothing　of　love。　The
  rest　of　my　visit　was　a　dream；　a　dream　which　did　not　cease　until　by
  moonlight　on　that　warm　and　balmy　night　I　recrossed　the　Indre；　watching
  the　white　visions　that　embellished　meadows；　shores；　and　hills；　and
  listening　to　the　clear　song；　the　matchless　note；　full　of　deep
  melancholy　and　uttered　only　in　still　weather；　of　a　tree…frog　whose
  scientific　name　is　unknown　to　me。　Since　that　solemn　evening　I　have
  never　heard　it　without　infinite　delight。　A　sense　came　to　me　then　of
  the　marble　wall　against　which　my　feelings　had　hitherto　dashed
  themselves。　Would　it　be　always　so？　I　fancied　myself　under　some　fatal
  spell；　the　unhappy　events　of　my　past　life　rose　up　and　struggled　with
  the　purely　personal　pleasure　I　had　just　enjoyed。　Before　reaching
  Frapesle　I　turned　to　look　at　Clochegourde　and　saw　beneath　its　windows
  a　little　boat；　called　in　Touraine　a　punt；　fastened　to　an　ash…tree　and
  swaying　on　the　water。　This　punt　belonged　to　Monsieur　de　Mortsauf；　who
  used　it　for　fishing。
  〃Well；〃　said　Monsieur　de　Chessel；　when　we　were　out　of　ear…shot。　〃I
  needn't　ask　if　you　found　those　shoulders；　I　must；　however；
  congratulate　you　on　the　reception　Monsieur　de　Mortsauf　gave　you。　The
  devil！　you　stepped　into　his　heart　at　once。〃
  These　words　followed　by　those　I　have　already　quoted　to　you　raised　my
  spirits。　I　had　not　as　yet　said　a　word；　and　Monsieur　de　Chessel　may
  have　attributed　my　silence　to　happiness。
  〃How　do　you　mean？〃　I　asked。
  〃He　never；　to　my　knowledge；　received　any　one　so　well。〃
  〃I　will　admit　that　I　am　rather　surprised　myself；〃　I　said；　conscious　of
  a　certain　bitterness　underlying　my　companion's　speech。
  Though　I　was　too　inexpert　in　social　matters　to　understand　its　cause；　I
  was　much　struck　by　the　feeling　Monsieur　de　Chessel　betrayed。　His　real
  name　was　Durand；　but　he　had　had　the　weakness　to　discard　the　name　of　a
  worthy　father；　a　merchant　who　had　made　a　large　fortune　under　the
  Revolution。　His　wife　was　sole　heiress　of　the　Chessels；　an　old
  parliamentary　family　under　Henry　IV。；　belonging　to　the　middle　classes；
  as　did　most　of　the　Parisian　magistrates。　Ambitious　of　higher　flights
  Monsieur　de　Chessel　endeavored　to　smother　the　original　Durand。　He
  first　called　himself　Durand　de　Chessel；　then　D。　de　Chessel；　and　that
  made　him　Monsieur　de　Chessel。　Under　the　Restoration　he　entailed　an
  estate　with　the　title　of　count　in　virtue　of　letters…patent　from　Louis
  XVIII。　His　children　reaped　the　fruits　of　his　audacity　without　knowing
  what　it　cost　him　in　sarcastic　comments。　Parvenus　are　like　monkeys；
  whose　cleverness　they　possess；　we　watch　them　climbing；　we　admire　their
  agility；　but　once　at　the　summit　we　see　only　their　absurd　and
  contemptible　parts。　The　reverse　side　of　my　host's　character　was　made
  up　of　pettiness　with　the　addition　of　envy。　The　peerage　and　he　were　on
  diverging　lines。　To　have　an　ambition　and　gratify　it　shows　merely　the
  insolence　of　strength；　but　to　live　below　one's　avowed　ambition　is　a
  constant　source　of　ridicule　to　petty　minds。　Monsieur　de　Chessel　did
  not　advance　with　the　straightforward　step　of　a　strong　man。　Twice
  elected　deputy；　twice　defeated；　yesterday　director…general；　to…day
  nothing　at　all；　not　even　prefect；　his　successes　and　his　defeats　had
  injured　his　nature；　and　given　him　the　sourness　of　invalided　ambition。
  Though　a　brave　man　and　a　witty　one　and　capable　of　great　things；　envy；
  which　is　the　root　of　existence　in　Touraine；　the　inhabitants　of　which
  employ　their　native　genius　in　jealousy　of　all　things；　injured　him　in
  upper　social　circles；　where　a　dissatisfied　man；　frowning　at　the
  success　of　others；　slow　at　compliments　and　ready　at　epigram；　seldom
  succeeds。　Had　he　sought　less　he　might　perhaps　have　obtained　more；　but
  unhappily　he　had　enough　genuine　superiority　to　make　him　wish　to
  advance　in　his　own　way。
  At　this　particular　time　Monsieur　de　Chessel's　ambition　had　a　second
  dawn。　Royalty　smiled　upon　him；　and　he　was　now　affecting　the　grand
  manner。　Still　he　was；　I　must　say；　most　kind　to　me；　and　he　pleased　me
  for　the　very　simple　reason　that　with　him　I　had　found　peace　and　rest
  for　the　first　time。　The　interest；　possibly　very　slight；　which　he
  showed　in　my　affairs；　seemed　to　me；　lonely　and　rejected　as　I　was；　an
  image　of　paternal　love。　His　hospitable　care　contrasted　so　strongly
  with　the　neglect　to　which　I　was　accustomed；　that　I　felt　a　childlike
  gratitude　to　the　home　where　no　fetters　bound　me　and　where　I　was
  welcomed　and　even　courted。
  The　owners　of　Frapesle　are　so　associated　with　the　dawn　of　my　life's
  happiness　that　I　mingle　them　in　all　those　memories　I　love　to　revive。
  Later；　and　more　especially　in　connection　with　his　letters…patent；　I
  had　the　pleasure　of　doing　my　host　some　service。　Monsieur　de　Chessel
  enjoyed　his　wealth　with　an　ostentation　that　gave　umbrage　to　certain　of
  his　neighbors。　He　was　able　to　vary　and　renew　his　fine　horses　and
  elegant　equipages；　his　wife　dressed　exquisitely；　he　received　on　a
  grand　scale；　his　servants　were　more　numerous　than　his　neighbors
  approved；　for　all　of　which　he　was　said　to　be　aping　princes。　The
  Frapesle　estate　is　immense。　Before　such　luxury　as　this　the　Comte　de
  Mortsauf；　with　one　family　cariole；which　in　Touraine　is　something
  between　a　coach　without　springs　and　a　post…chaise；forced　by　limited
  means　to　let　or　farm　Clochegourde；　was　Tourangean　up　to　the　time　when
  royal　favor　restored　the　family　to　a　distinction　possibly　unlooked
  for。　His　greeting　to　me；　the　younger　son　of　a　ruined　family　whose
  escutcheon　dated　back　to　the　Crusades；　was　intended　to　show　contempt
  for　the　large　fortune　and　to　belittle　the　possessions；　the　woods；　the
  arable　lands；　the　meadows；　of　a　neighbor　who　was　not　of　noble　birth。
  Monsieur　de　Chessel　fully　understood　this。　They　always　met　politely；
  but　there　was　none　of　that　daily　intercourse　or　that　agreeable
  in