Scribe　has　depicted　with　such　delicacy　and　wit？〃
  Madame　de　Godollo　did　not　answer　immediately。　She　lowered　her　eyelids；
  and　the　deeper　breathing　of　her　bosom　gave　to　her　voice　when　she　did
  speak　a　tremulous　tone：
  〃The　hatred　of　a　woman！〃　she　said。　〃Is　a　man　of　your　stoicism　able　to
  perceive　it？〃
  〃Ah！　yes；　madame；〃　replied　la　Peyrade；　〃I　do　indeed　perceive　it；　but
  not　to　revolt　against　it；　on　the　contrary；　I　bless　the　harshness　that
  deigns　to　hurt　me。　Now　that　I　know　my　beautiful　and　avowed　enemy；　I
  shall　not　despair　of　touching　her　heart；　for　never　again　will　I　follow
  any　road　but　the　one　that　she　points　out　to　me；　never　will　I　march
  under　any　banner　but　hers。　I　shall　waitfor　her　inspiration；　to
  think；　for　her　will；　to　will；　for　her　commands；　to　act。　In　all　things
  I　will　be　her　auxiliary；more　than　that；　her　slave；　and　if　she　still
  repulses　me　with　that　dainty　foot；　that　snowy　hand；　I　will　bear　it
  resignedly；　asking；　in　return　for　such　obedience　one　only　favor；that
  of　kissing　the　foot　that　spurns　me；　of　bathing　with　tears　the　hand
  that　threatens　me。〃
  During　this　long　cry　of　the　excited　heart；　which　the　joy　of　triumph
  wrung　from　a　nature　so　nervous　and　impressionable　as　that　of　the
  Provencal；　he　had　slidden　from　his　chair；　and　now　knelt　with　one　knee
  on　the　ground　beside　the　countess；　in　the　conventional　attitude　of　the
  stage；　which　is；　however；　much　more　common　in　real　life　than　people
  suppose。
  〃Rise；　monsieur；〃　said　the　countess；　〃and　be　so　good　as　to　answer　me。〃
  Then；　giving　him　a　questioning　look　from　beneath　her　beautiful
  frowning　brows；　she　continued：　〃Have　you　well…weighed　the　outcome　of
  the　words　you　have　just　uttered？　Have　you　measured　the　full　extent　of
  your　pledge；　and　its　depth？　With　your　hand　on　your　heart　and　on　your
  conscience；　are　you　a　man　to　fulfil　those　words？　Or　are　you　one　of　the
  falsely　humble　and　perfidious　men　who　throw　themselves　at　our　feet
  only　to　make　us　lose　the　balance　of　our　will　and　our　reason？〃
  〃I！〃　exclaimed　la　Peyrade；　〃never　can　I　react　against　the　fascination
  you　have　wielded　over　me　from　the　moment　of　our　first　interview！　Ah！
  madame；　the　more　I　have　resisted；　the　more　I　have　struggled；　the　more
  you　ought　to　trust　in　my　sincerity　and　its　tardy　expression。　What　I
  have　said；　I　think；　that　which　I　think　aloud　to…day　I　have　thought　in
  my　soul　since　the　hour　when　I　first　had　the　honor　of　admittance　to
  you；　and　the　many　days　I　have　passed　in　struggling　against　this
  allurement　have　ended　in　giving　me　a　firm　and　deliberate　will；　which
  understands　itself；　and　is　not　cast　down　by　your　severity。〃
  〃Severity？〃　said　the　countess；　〃possibly。　But　you　ought　to　think　of
  the　kindness　too。　Question　yourself　carefully。　We　foreign　women　do　not
  understand　the　careless　ease　with　which　a　Frenchwoman　enters　upon　a
  solemn　engagement。　To　us；　our　YES　is　sacred；　our　word　is　a　bond。　We　do
  and　we　will　nothing　by　halves。　The　arms　of　my　family　bear　a　motto
  which　seems　significant　under　the　present　circumstances；'All　or
  Nothing'；　that　is　saying　much；　and　yet；　perhaps；　not　enough。〃
  〃That　is　how　I　understand　my　pledge；〃　replied　la　Peyrade；　〃and　on
  leaving　this　room　my　first　step　will　be　to　break　with　that　ignoble
  past　which　for　an　instant　I　seemed　to　hold　in　the　balance　against　the
  intoxicating　future　you　do　not　forbid　me　to　expect。〃
  〃No；〃　said　the　countess；　〃do　it　calmly　and　advisedly；　I　do　not　like
  rash　conduct；　you　will　not　please　me　by　taking　open　steps。　These
  Thuilliers　are　not　really　bad　at　heart；　they　humiliated　you　without
  knowing　that　they　did　so；　their　world　is　not　yours。　Is　that　their
  fault？　Loosen　the　tie　between　you；　but　do　not　violently　break　it。　And；
  above　all；　reflect。　Your　conversion　to　my　beliefs　is　of　recent　date。
  What　man　is　certain　of　what　his　heart　will　say　to　him　to…morrow？〃
  〃Madame；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃I　am　that　man。　We　men　of　Southern　blood　do
  not　love　as　you　say　a　Frenchwoman　loves。〃
  〃But；〃　said　the　countess；　with　a　charming　smile；　〃I　thought　it　was
  hatred　we　were　talking　of。〃
  〃Ah；　madame；〃　cried　the　barrister；　〃explained　and　understood　as　it　has
  been；　that　word　is　still　a　thing　that　hurts　me。　Tell　me　rather；　not
  that　you　love　me；　but　that　the　words　you　deigned　to　say　to　me　at　our
  first　interview　were　indeed　the　expression　of　your　thoughts。〃
  〃My　friend；〃　said　the　countess；　dwelling　on　the　word；　〃one　of　your
  moralists　has　said：　'There　are　persons　who　say；　THAT　IS　or　THAT　IS
  NOT。'　Do　me　the　favor　to　count　me　among　such　persons。〃
  So　saying；　she　held　out　her　hand　to　her　suitor　with　a　charming　gesture
  of　modesty　and　grace。　La　Peyrade；　quite　beside　himself；　darted　upon
  that　beautiful　hand　and　devoured　it　with　kisses。
  〃Enough；　child！〃　said　the　countess；　gently　freeing　her　imprisoned
  fingers；　〃adieu　now；　soon　to　meet　again！　Adieu！　My　headache；　I　think；
  has　disappeared。〃
  La　Peyrade　picked　up　his　hat；　and　seemed　about　to　rush　from　the
  apartment；　but　at　the　door　he　turned　and　cast　upon　the　handsome
  creature　a　look　of　tenderness。　The　countess　made　him；　with　her　head；　a
  graceful　gesture　of　adieu；　then；　seeing　that　la　Peyrade　was　inclined
  to　return　to　her；　she　raised　her　forefinger　as　a　warning　to　control
  himself　and　go。
  La　Peyrade　turned　and　left　the　apartment。
  CHAPTER　VII
  HOW　TO　SHUT　THE　DOOR　IN　PEOPLE'S　FACES
  On　the　staircase　la　Peyrade　stopped　to　exhale；　if　we　may　so　express
  it；　the　happiness　of　which　his　heart　was　full。　The　words　of　the
  countess；　the　ingenious　preparation　she　had　made　to　put　him　on　the
  track　of　her　sentiments；　seemed　to　him　the　guarantee　of　her　sincerity；
  and　he　left　her　full　of　faith。
  Possessed　by　that　intoxication　of　happy　persons　which　shows　itself　in
  their　gestures；　their　looks；　their　very　gait；　and　sometimes　in　actions
  not　authorized　by　their　common…sense；　after　pausing　a　moment；　as　we
  have　said；　on　the　staircase；　he　ran　up　a　few　steps　till　he　could　see
  the　door　of　the　Thuilliers'　apartment。
  〃At　last！〃　he　cried；　〃fame；　fortune；　happiness　have　come　to　me；　but；
  above　all；　I　can　now　give　myself　the　joy　of　vengeance。　After　Dutocq
  and　Cerizet；　I　will　crush　YOU；　vile　bourgeois　brood！〃
  So　saying；　he　shook　his　fist　at　the　innocent　door。　Then　he　turned　and
  ran　out；　the　popular　saying　that　the　earth　could　not　hold　him；　was
  true　at　that　moment　of　his　being。
  The　next　day；　for　he　could　not　restrain　any　longer　the　tempest　that
  was　swelling　within　him；　la　Peyrade　went　to　see　Thuillier　in　the
  bitterest　and　most　hostile　of　moods。　What　was　therefore　his　amazement
  when；　before　he　had　time　to　put　himself　on　guard　and　stop　the
  demonstration　of　union　and　oblivion；　Thuillier　flung　himself　into　his
  arms。
  〃My　friend；〃　cried　the　municipal　councillor；　as　he　loosened　his　clasp；
  〃my　political　fortune　is　made；　this　morning　all　the　newspapers；
  without　exception；　have　spoken　of　the　seizure　of　my　pamphlet；　and　you
  ought　to　see　how　the　opposition　sheets　have　mauled　the　government。〃
  〃Simple　enough；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　not　moved　by　this　enthusiasm；　〃you
  are　a　topic　for　them；　that's　all。　But　this　does　not　alter　the
  situation；　the　prosecution　will　be　only　the　more　determined　to　have
  you　condemned。〃
  〃Well；　then；〃　said　Thuillier；　proudly　raising　his　head；　〃I　will　go　to
  prison；　like　Beranger；　like　Lamennais；　like　Armand　Carrel。〃
  〃My　good　fellow；　persecution　is　charming　at　a　distance；　but　when　you
  hear　the　big　bolts　run　upon　you；　you　may　be　sure　you　won't　like　it　as
  well。〃
  〃But；〃　objected　Thuillier；　〃prisoners　condemned　for　political　offences
  are　always　allowed　to　do　their　time　in　hospital　if　they　like。　Besides；
  I'm　not　yet　convicted。　You　said　yourself　you　expected　to　get　me
  acquitted。〃
  〃Yes；　but　since　then　I　have　heard　things　which　make　that　result　very
  doubtful；　the　same　hand　that　withheld　your　cross　has　seized　your
  pamphlet；　you　are　being　murdered　with　premeditation。〃
  〃If　you　know　who　that　dangerous　enemy　is；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃you　can't
  refuse　to　point　him　out　to　me。〃
  〃I　don't　know　him；〃　replied　la　Peyrade；　〃I　only　suspect　him。　This　is
  what　you　get　by　playing　too　shrewd　a　game。〃
  〃Playing　a　shrewd　game！〃　said　Thuillier；　with　the　curiosity　of　a　man
  who　is　perfectly　aware　that　he　has　nothing　of　that　kind　on　his
  conscience。
  〃Yes；〃　said　la　Peyrade；　〃you　made　a　sort　of　decoy　of　Celeste　to
  attract　young　bloods　to　your　salon。　All　the　world　has　not　the
  forbearance　of　Monsieur　Godeschal；　who　forgave　his　rejection　and
  generously　managed　that　affair　about　the　house。〃
  〃Explain　yourself　better；〃　said　Thuillier；　〃for　I　don't　see　what　you
  mean。〃
  〃Nothing　is　easier　to　understand。　Without　counting　me；　how　many
  suitors　have　you　had　for　Mademoiselle　Colleville？　Godeschal；　Minard
  junior；　Phellion　junior；　Olivier　Vinet；　the　substitute　judge；all　men
  who　have　been　sent　about　their　business；　as　I　am。〃
  〃Olivier　Vinet；　the　substitute　judge！〃　cried　Thuillier；　struck　with　a
  flash　of　light。　〃Of　course；　the　blow　must　have　come　from　him。　His
  father；　they　say；　has　a　long　arm。　But　it　can't　be　truly　said　that　we
  sent　him　about　his　business；to　use　your　expression；　which　strikes　me
  as　indecorous；for　he　never　came　to　the　house　but　once；　and　made　no
  offer；　neither　did　Minard　junior　or　Phellion　junior；　for　that　matter。
  Godeschal　is　the　only　one　who　risked　a　d