selection；　chairs　rolling　softly　on　Persian　carpets；　and　a　perfect
  anarchy　of　stuffs　of　all　kinds　completed　the　arrangement　of　this
  salon；　which　the　lawyer　had　once　before　visited　with　Brigitte　and
  Thuillier　before　the　countess　moved　into　it。　It　was　so　transformed
  that　it　seemed　to　him　unrecognizable。　With　a　little　more　knowledge　of
  the　world　la　Peyrade　would　have　been　less　surprised　at　the　marvellous
  care　given　by　the　countess　to　the　decoration　of　the　room。　A　woman's
  salon　is　her　kingdom；　and　her　absolute　domain；　there；　in　the　fullest
  sense　of　the　word；　she　reigns；　she　governs；　there　she　offers　battle；
  and　nearly　always　comes　off　victorious。
  Coquettishly　lying　back　in　a　corner　of　the　sofa；　her　head　carelessly
  supported　by　an　arm　the　form　and　whiteness　of　which　could　be　seen
  nearly　to　the　elbow　through　the　wide；　open　sleeve　of　a　black　velvet
  dressing…gown；　her　Cinderella　foot　in　its　dainty　slipper　of　Russia
  leather　resting　on　a　cushion　of　orange　satin；　the　handsome　Hungarian
  had　the　look　of　a　portrait　by　Laurence　or　Winterhalter；　plus　the
  naivete　of　the　pose。
  〃Monsieur；〃　she　said；　with　the　slightly　foreign　accent　which　lent　an
  added　charm　to　her　words；　〃I　cannot　help　thinking　it　rather　droll　that
  a　man　of　your　mind　and　rare　penetration　should　have　thought　you　had　an
  enemy　in　me。〃
  〃But；　Madame　la　comtesse；〃　replied　la　Peyrade；　allowing　her　to　read　in
  his　eyes　an　astonishment　mingled　with　distrust；　〃all　the　appearances；
  you　must　admit；　were　of　that　nature。　A　suitor　interposes　to　break　off
  a　marriage　which　has　been　offered　to　me　with　every　inducement；　this
  rival　does　me　the　service　of　showing　himself　so　miraculously　stupid
  and　awkward　that　I　could　easily　have　set　him　aside；　when　suddenly　a
  most　unlooked…for　and　able　auxiliary　devotes　herself　to　protecting　him
  on　the　very　ground　where　he　shows　himself　most　vulnerable。〃
  〃You　must　admit；〃　said　the　countess；　laughing；　〃that　the　protege
  showed　himself　a　most　intelligent　man；　and　that　he　seconded　my　efforts
  valiantly。〃
  〃His　clumsiness　could　not　have　been；　I　think；　very　unexpected　to　you；〃
  replied　la　Peyrade；　〃therefore　the　protection　you　have　deigned　to　give
  him　is　the　more　cruel　to　me。〃
  〃What　a　misfortune　it　would　be；〃　said　the　countess；　with　charmingly
  affected　satire；　〃if　your　marriage　with　Mademoiselle　Celeste　were
  prevented！　Do　you　really　care　so　much；　monsieur；　for　that　little
  school…girl？〃
  In　that　last　word；　especially　the　intonation　with　which　it　was
  uttered；　there　was　more　than　contempt；　there　was　hatred。　This
  expression　did　not　escape　an　observer　of　la　Peyrade's　strength；　but
  not　being　a　man　to　advance　very　far　on　a　single　remark　he　merely
  replied：
  〃Madame；　the　vulgar　expression；　to　'settle　down；'　explains　this
  situation；　in　which　a　man；　after　many　struggles　and　being　at　an　end　of
  his　efforts　and　his　illusions；　makes　a　compromise　with　the　future。
  When　this　compromise　takes　the　form　of　a　young　girl　with；　I　admit；
  more　virtue　than　beauty；　but　one　who　brings　to　a　husband　the　fortune
  which　is　indispensable　to　the　comfort　of　married　life；　what　is　there
  so　astonishing　in　the　fact　that　his　heart　yields　to　gratitude　and　that
  he　welcomes　the　prospect　of　a　placid　happiness？〃
  〃I　have　always　thought；〃　replied　the　countess；　〃that　the　power　of　a
  man's　intellect　ought　to　be　the　measure　of　his　ambition；　and　I
  imagined　that　one　so　wise　as　to　make　himself；　at　first；　the　poor　man's
  lawyer；　would　have　in　his　heart　less　humble　and　less　pastoral
  aspirations。〃
  〃Ah！　madame；〃　returned　la　Peyrade；　〃the　iron　hand　of　necessity　compels
  us　to　strange　resignations。　The　question　of　daily　bread　is　one　of
  those　before　which　all　things　bend　the　knee。　Apollo　was　forced　to　'get
  a　living；'　as　the　shepherd　of　Admetus。〃
  〃The　sheepfold　of　Admetus；〃　said　Madame　de　Godollo；　〃was　at　least　a
  royal　fold；　I　don't　think　Apollo　would　have　resigned　himself　to　be　the
  shepherd　of　abourgeois。〃
  The　hesitation　that　preceded　that　last　word　seemed　to　convey　in　place
  of　it　a　proper　name；　and　la　Peyrade　understood　that　Madame　de　Godollo；
  out　of　pure　clemency；　had　suppressed　that　of　Thuillier；　had　turned　her
  remark　upon　the　species　and　not　the　individual。
  〃I　agree；　madame；　that　your　distinction　is　a　just　one；〃　he　replied；
  〃but　in　this　case　Apollo　has　no　choice。〃
  〃I　don't　like　persons　who　charge　too　much；〃　said　the　countess；　〃but
  still　less　do　I　like　those　who　sell　their　merchandise　below　the　market
  price；　I　always　suspect　such　persons　of　trying　to　dupe　me　by　some
  clever　and　complicated　trick。　You　know　very　well；　monsieur；　your　own
  value；　and　your　hypocritical　humility　displeases　me　immensely。　It
  proves　to　me　that　my　kindly　overtures　have　not　produced　even　a
  beginning　of　confidence　between　us。〃
  〃I　assure　you；　madame；　that　up　to　the　present　time　life　has　never
  justified　the　belief　in　any　dazzling　superiority　in　me。〃
  〃Well；　really；〃　said　the　Hungarian；　〃perhaps　I　ought　to　believe　in　the
  humility　of　a　man　who　is　willing　to　accept　the　pitiable　finale　of　his
  life　which　I　threw　myself　into　the　breach　to　prevent。〃
  〃Just　as　I；　perhaps；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　with　a　touch　of　sarcasm；　〃ought
  to　believe　in　the　reality　of　a　kindness　which；　in　order　to　save　me；
  has　handled　me　so　roughly。〃
  The　countess　cast　a　reproachful　look　upon　her　visitor；　her　fingers
  crumpled　the　ribbons　of　her　gown；　she　lowered　her　eyes；　and　gave　a
  sigh；　so　nearly　imperceptible；　so　slight；　that　it　might　have　passed
  for　an　accident　in　the　most　regular　breathing。
  〃You　are　rancorous；〃　she　said；　〃and　you　judge　people　by　one　aspect
  only。　After　all；〃　she　added；　as　if　on　reflection；　〃you　are　perhaps
  right　in　reminding　me　that　I　have　taken　the　longest　way　round　by
  meddling；　rather　ridiculously；　in　interests　that　do　not　concern　me。　Go
  on；　my　dear　monsieur；　in　the　path　of　this　glorious　marriage　which
  offers　you　so　many　combined　inducements；　only；　let　me　hope　that　you
  may　not　repent　a　course　with　which　I　shall　no　longer　interfere。〃
  The　Provencal　had　not　been　spoilt　by　an　experience　of　〃bonnes
  fortunes。〃　The　poverty　against　which　he　had　struggled　so　long　never
  leads　to　affairs　of　gallantry；　and　since　he　had　thrown　off　its　harsh
  restraint；　his　mind　being　wholly　given　up　to　the　anxious　work　of
  creating　his　future；　the　things　of　the　heart　had　entered　but　slightly
  into　his　life；　unless　we　must　except　the　comedy　he　had　played　on
  Flavie。　We　can　therefore　imagine　the　perplexity　of　this　novice　in　the
  matter　of　adventures　when　he　saw　himself　placed　between　the　danger　of
  losing　what　seemed　to　be　a　delightful　opportunity；　and　the　fear　of
  finding　a　serpent　amid　the　beautiful　flowers　that　were　offered　to　his
  grasp。　Too　marked　a　reserve；　too　lukewarm　an　eagerness；　might　wound
  the　self…love　of　that　beautiful　foreigner；　and　quench　the　spring　from
  which　he　seemed　invited　to　draw。　On　the　other　hand；　suppose　that
  appearance　of　interest　were　only　a　snare？　Suppose　this　kindness　（ill…
  explained；　as　it　seemed　to　him）；　of　which　he　was　so　suddenly　the
  object；　had　no　other　purpose　than　to　entice　him　into　a　step　which
  might　be　used　to　compromise　him　with　the　Thuilliers？　What　a　blow　to
  his　reputation　for　shrewdness；　and　what　a　role　to　play！that　of　the
  dog　letting　go　the　meat　for　the　shadow！
  We　know　that　la　Peyrade　was　trained　in　the　school　of　Tartuffe；　and　the
  frankness　with　which　that　great　master　declares　to　Elmire　that　without
  receiving　a　few　of　the　favors　to　which　he　aspired　he　could　not　trust
  in　her　tender　advances；　seemed　to　the　barrister　a　suitable　method　to
  apply　to　the　present　case；　adding；　however；　a　trifle　more　softness　to
  the　form。
  〃Madame　la　comtesse；〃　he　said；　〃you　have　turned　me　into　a　man　who　is
  much　to　be　pitied。　I　was　cheerfully　advancing　to　this　marriage；　and
  you　take　all　faith　in　it　away　from　me。　Suppose　I　break　it　off；　what
  use　can　Iwith　that　great　capacity　you　see　in　memake　of　the　liberty
  I　thus　recover？〃
  〃La　Bruyere；　if　I　am　not　mistaken；　said　that　nothing　freshens　the
  blood　so　much　as　to　avoid　committing　a　folly。〃
  〃That　may　be；　but　it　is；　you　must　admit；　a　negative　benefit；　and　I　am
  of　an　age　and　in　a　position　to　desire　more　serious　results。　The
  interest　that　you　deign　to　show　to　me　cannot；　I　think；　stop　short　at
  the　idea　of　merely　putting　an　end　to　my　present　prospects。　I　love
  Mademoiselle　Colleville　with　a　love；　it　is　true；　which　has　nothing
  imperative　about　it；　but　I　certainly　love　her；　her　hand　is　promised　to
  me；　and　before　renouncing　it〃
  〃So；〃　said　the　countess；　hastily；　〃in　a　given　case　you　would　not　be
  averse　to　a　rupture？　And；〃　she　added；　in　a　more　decided　tone；　〃there
  would　be　some　chance　of　making　you　see　that　in　taking　your　first
  opportunity　you　cut　yourself　off　from　a　better　future；　in　which　a　more
  suitable　marriage　may　present　itself？〃
  〃But；　at　least；　madame；　I　must　be　enabled　to　foresee　it　definitely。〃
  This　persistence　in　demanding　pledges　seemed　to　irritate　the　countess。
  〃Faith；〃　she　said；　〃is　only　a　virtue　when　it　believes　without　seeing。
  You　doubt　yourself；　and　that　is　another　form　of　stupidity。　I　am　not
  happy；　it　seems；　in　my　selection　of　those　I　desire　to　benefit。〃
  〃But；　madame；　it　cannot　be　indiscreet　to　ask　to　know　in　some　remote
  way　at　least；　what　future　your　kind　good…will　has　imagined