added　hastily；　〃There　is　not　a　woman　in　society；　with　her　mincing
  airs；　that　is　worth　the　honest　nature　of　that　young　animal。〃
  〃At　any　rate；　I　wish　nothing　of　the　animal　about　me；〃　said　the
  countess；　with　a　glance　like　that　of　an　angry　viper。
  After　that　evening　Comte　Paz　showed　Clementine　the　exact　state　of　her
  affairs；　he　made　himself　her　tutor；　taught　her　the　methods　and
  difficulties　of　the　management　of　property；　the　proper　prices　to　pay
  for　things；　and　how　to　avoid　being　cheated　by　her　servants。　He　told
  her　she　could　rely　on　Constantin　and　make　him　her　major…domo。　Thaddeus
  had　trained　the　man　thoroughly。　By　the　end　of　May　he　thought　the
  countess　fully　competent　to　carry　on　her　affairs　alone；　for　Clementine
  was　one　of　those　far…sighted　women；　full　of　instinct；　who　have　an
  innate　genius　as　mistress　of　a　household。
  This　position　of　affairs；　which　Thaddeus　had　led　up　to　naturally；　did
  not　end　without　further　cruel　trials；　his　sufferings　were　fated　not　to
  be　as　sweet　and　tender　as　he　was　trying　to　make　them。　The　poor　lover
  forgot　to　reckon　on　the　hazard　of　events。　Adam　fell　seriously　ill；　and
  Thaddeus；　instead　of　leaving　the　house；　stayed　to　nurse　his　friend。
  His　devotion　was　unwearied。　A　woman　who　had　any　interest　in　employing
  her　perspicacity　might　have　seen　in　this　devotion　a　sort　of　punishment
  imposed　by　a　noble　soul　to　repress　an　involuntary　evil　thought；　but
  women　see　all；　or　see　nothing；　according　to　the　condition　of　their
  soulslove　is　their　sole　illuminator。
  During　forty…five　days　Paz　watched　and　tended　Adam　without　appearing
  to　think　of　Malaga；　for　the　very　good　reason　that　he　never　did　think　of
  her。　Clementine；　feeling　that　Adam　was　at　the　point　of　death　though　he
  did　not　die；　sent　for　all　the　leading　doctors　of　Paris　in
  consultation。
  〃If　he　comes　safely　out　of　this；〃　said　the　most　distinguished　of　them
  all；　〃it　will　only　be　by　an　effort　of　nature。　It　is　for　those　who
  nurse　him　to　watch　for　the　moment　when　they　must　second　nature。　The
  count's　life　is　in　the　hands　of　his　nurses。〃
  Thaddeus　went　to　find　Clementine　and　tell　her　this　result　of　the
  consultation。　He　found　her　sitting　in　the　Chinese　pavilion；　as　much
  for　a　little　rest　as　to　leave　the　field　to　the　doctors　and　not
  embarrass　them。　As　he　walked　along　the　winding　gravelled　path　which
  led　to　the　pavilion；　Thaddeus　seemed　to　himself　in　the　depths　of　an
  abyss　described　by　Dante。　The　unfortunate　man　had　never　dreamed　that
  the　possibility　might　arise　of　becoming　Clementine's　husband；　and　now
  he　had　drowned　himself　in　a　ditch　of　mud。　His　face　was　convulsed；　when
  he　reached　the　kiosk；　with　an　agony　of　grief；　his　head；　like　Medusa's；
  conveyed　despair。
  〃Is　he　dead？〃　said　Clementine。
  〃They　have　given　him　up；　that　is；　they　leave　him　to　nature。　Do　not　go
  in；　they　are　still　there；　and　Bianchon　is　changing　the　dressings。〃
  〃Poor　Adam！　I　ask　myself　if　I　have　not　sometimes　pained　him；〃　she
  said。
  〃You　have　made　him　very　happy；〃　said　Thaddeus；　〃you　ought　to　be　easy
  on　that　score；　for　you　have　shown　every　indulgence　for　him。〃
  〃My　loss　would　be　irreparable。〃
  〃But；　dear；　you　judged　him　justly。〃
  〃I　was　never　blind　to　his　faults；〃　she　said；　〃but　I　loved　him　as　a
  wife　should　love　her　husband。〃
  〃Then　you　ought；　in　case　you　lose　him；〃　said　Thaddeus；　in　a　voice
  which　Clementine　had　never　heard　him　use；　〃to　grieve　for　him　less　than
  if　you　lost　a　man　who　was　your　pride；　your　love；　and　all　your　life；
  as　some　men　are　to　you　women。　Surely　you　can　be　frank　at　this　moment
  with　a　friend　like　me。　I　shall　grieve；　too；　long　before　your　marriage
  I　had　made　him　my　child；　I　had　sacrificed　my　life　to　him。　If　he　dies　I
  shall　be　without　an　interest　on　earth；　but　life　is　still　beautiful　to
  a　widow　of　twenty…four。〃
  〃Ah！　but　you　know　that　I　love　no　one；〃　she　said；　with　the　impatience
  of　grief。
  〃You　don't　yet　know　what　it　is　to　love；〃　said　Thaddeus。
  〃Oh；　as　husbands　are；　I　have　sense　enough　to　prefer　a　child　like　my
  poor　Adam　to　a　superior　man。　It　is　now　over　a　month　that　we　have　been
  saying　to　each　other；　'Will　he　live？'　and　these　alternations　have
  prepared　me；　as　they　have　you；　for　this　loss。　I　can　be　frank　with　you。
  Well；　I　would　give　my　life　to　save　Adam。　What　is　a　woman's
  independence　in　Paris？　the　freedom　to　let　herself　be　taken　in　by
  ruined　or　dissipated　men　who　pretend　to　love　her。　I　pray　to　God　to
  leave　me　this　husband　who　is　so　kind；　so　obliging；　so　little　fault…
  finding；　and　who　is　beginning　to　stand　in　awe　of　me。〃
  〃You　are　honest；　and　I　love　you　the　better　for　it；〃　said　Thaddeus；
  taking　her　hand　which　she　yielded　to　him；　and　kissing　it。　〃In　solemn
  moments　like　these　there　is　unspeakable　satisfaction　in　finding　a
  woman　without　hypocrisy。　It　is　possible　to　converse　with　you。　Let　us
  look　to　the　future。　Suppose　that　God　does　not　grant　your　prayer；and
  no　one　cries　to　him　more　than　I　do；　'Leave　me　my　friend！'　Yes；　these
  fifty　nights　have　not　weakened　me；　if　thirty　more　days　and　nights　are
  needed　I　can　give　them　while　you　sleep；yes；　I　will　tear　him　from
  death　if；　as　the　doctors　say；　nursing　can　save　him。　But　suppose　that
  in　spite　of　you　and　me；　the　count　dies；well；　then；　if　you　were
  loved；　oh；　adored；　by　a　man　of　a　heart　and　soul　that　are　worthy　of
  you〃
  〃I　may　have　wished　for　such　love；　foolishly；　but　I　have　never　met　with
  it。〃
  〃Perhaps　you　are　mistaken〃
  Clementine　looked　fixedly　at　Thaddeus；　imagining　that　there　was　less
  of　love　than　of　cupidity　in　his　thoughts；　her　eyes　measured　him　from
  head　to　foot　and　poured　contempt　upon　him；　then　she　crushed　him　with
  the　words；　〃Poor　Malaga！〃　uttered　in　tones　which　a　great　lady　alone
  can　find　to　give　expression　to　her　disdain。　She　rose；　leaving　Thaddeus
  half　unconscious　behind　her；　slowly　re…entered　her　boudoir；　and　went
  back　to　Adam's　chamber。
  An　hour　later　Paz　returned　to　the　sick…room；　and　began　anew；　with
  death　in　his　heart；　his　care　of　the　count。　From　that　moment　he　said
  nothing。　He　was　forced　to　struggle　with　the　patient；　whom　he　managed
  in　a　way　that　excited　the　admiration　of　the　doctors。　At　all　hours　his
  watchful　eyes　were　like　lamps　always　lighted。　He　showed　no　resentment
  to　Clementine；　and　listened　to　her　thanks　without　accepting　them；　he
  seemed　both　dumb　and　deaf。　To　himself　he　was　saying；　〃She　shall　owe
  his　life　to　me；〃　and　he　wrote　the　thought　as　it　were　in　letters　of
  fire　on　the　walls　of　Adam's　room。　On　the　fifteenth　day　Clementine　was
  forced　to　give　up　the　nursing；　lest　she　should　utterly　break　down。　Paz
  was　unwearied。　At　last；　towards　the　end　of　August；　Bianchon；　the
  family　physician；　told　Clementine　that　Adam　was　out　of　danger。
  〃Ah；　madame；　you　are　under　no　obligation　to　me；〃　he　said；　〃without　his
  friend；　Comte　Paz；　we　could　not　have　saved　him。〃
  The　day　after　the　meeting　of　Paz　and　Clementine　in　the　kiosk；　the
  Marquis　de　Ronquerolles　came　to　see　his　nephew。　He　was　on　the　eve　of
  starting　for　Russia　on　a　secret　diplomatic　mission。　Paz　took　occasion
  to　say　a　few　words　to　him。　The　first　day　that　Adam　was　able　to　drive
  out　with　his　wife　and　Thaddeus；　a　gentleman　entered　the　courtyard　as
  the　carriage　was　about　to　leave　it；　and　asked　for　Comte　Paz。　Thaddeus；
  who　was　sitting　on　the　front　seat　of　the　caleche；　turned　to　take　a
  letter　which　bore　the　stamp　of　the　ministry　of　Foreign　affairs。　Having
  read　it；　he　put　it　into　his　pocket　in　a　manner　which　prevented
  Clementine　or　Adam　from　speaking　of　it。　Nevertheless；　by　the　time　they
  reached　the　porte　Maillot；　Adam；　full　of　curiosity；　used　the　privilege
  of　a　sick　man　whose　caprices　are　to　be　gratified；　and　said　to
  Thaddeus：　〃There's　no　indiscretion　between　brothers　who　love　each
  other；tell　me　what　there　is　in　that　despatch；　I'm　in　a　fever　of
  curiosity。〃
  Clementine　glanced　at　Thaddeus　with　a　vexed　air；　and　remarked　to　her
  husband：　〃He　has　been　so　sulky　with　me　for　the　last　two　months　that　I
  shall　never　ask　him　anything　again。〃
  〃Oh；　as　for　that；〃　replied　Paz；　〃I　can't　keep　it　out　of　the
  newspapers；　so　I　may　as　well　tell　you　at　once。　The　Emperor　Nicholas
  has　had　the　grace　to　appoint　me　captain　in　a　regiment　which　is　to　take
  part　in　the　expedition　to　Khiva。〃
  〃You　are　not　going？〃　cried　Adam。
  〃Yes；　I　shall　go；　my　dear　fellow。　Captain　I　came；　and　captain　I
  return。　We　shall　dine　together　to…morrow　for　the　last　time。　If　I　don't
  start　at　once　for　St。　Petersburg　I　shall　have　to　make　the　journey　by
  land；　and　I　am　not　rich；　and　I　must　leave　Malaga　a　little
  independence。　I　ought　to　think　of　the　only　woman　who　has　been　able　to
  understand　me；　she　thinks　me　grand；　superior。　I　dare　say　she　is
  faithless；　but　she　would　jump〃
  〃Through　the　hoop；　for　your　sake　and　come　down　safely　on　the　back　of
  her　horse；〃　said　Clementine　sharply。
  〃Oh；　you　don't　know　Malaga；〃　said　the　captain；　bitterly；　with　a
  sarcastic　look　in　his　eyes　which　made　Clementine　thoughtful　and
  uneasy。
  〃Good…by　to　the　young　trees　of　this　be