superiority。　But　if　by　chance　she　seems　really　imposing　to　him；　he
  feels　the　need　of　foisting　faults　upon　her。　After　that；　between　man
  and　wife；　trifles　increase　and　grow　till　they　swell　to　Alps。
  But　Juana；　patient　and　without　pride；　gentle　and　without　that
  bitterness　which　women　know　so　well　how　to　cast　into　their　submission；
  left　Diard　no　chance　for　planned　ill…humor。　Besides；　she　was　one　of
  those　noble　creatures　to　whom　it　is　impossible　to　speak
  disrespectfully；　her　glance；　in　which　her　life；　saintly　and　pure；
  shone　out；　had　the　weight　of　a　fascination。　Diard；　embarrassed　at
  first；　then　annoyed；　ended　by　feeling　that　such　high　virtue　was　a　yoke
  upon　him。　The　goodness　of　his　wife　gave　him　no　violent　emotions；　and
  violent　emotions　were　what　he　wanted。　What　myriads　of　scenes　are
  played　in　the　depths　of　his　souls；　beneath　the　cold　exterior　of　lives
  that　are；　apparently；　commonplace！　Among　these　dramas；　lasting　each
  but　a　short　time；　though　they　influence　life　so　powerfully　and　are
  frequently　the　forerunners　of　the　great　misfortune　doomed　to　fall　on
  so　many　marriages；　it　is　difficult　to　choose　an　example。　There　was　a
  scene；　however；　which　particularly　marked　the　moment　when　in　the　life
  of　this　husband　and　wife　estrangement　began。　Perhaps　it　may　also　serve
  to　explain　the　finale　of　this　narrative。
  Juana　had　two　children；　happily　for　her；　two　sons。　The　first　was　born
  seven　months　after　her　marriage。　He　was　called　Juan；　and　he　strongly
  resembled　his　mother。　The　second　was　born　about　two　years　after　her
  arrival　in　Paris。　The　latter　resembled　both　Diard　and　Juana；　but　more
  particularly　Diard。　His　name　was　Francisque。　For　the　last　five　years
  Francisque　had　been　the　object　of　Juana's　most　tender　and　watchful
  care。　The　mother　was　constantly　occupied　with　that　child；　to　him　her
  prettiest　caresses；　to　him　the　toys；　but　to　him；　especially；　the
  penetrating　mother…looks。　Juana　had　watched　him　from　his　cradle；　she
  had　studied　his　cries；　his　motions；　she　endeavored　to　discern　his
  nature　that　she　might　educate　him　wisely。　It　seemed　at　times　as　if　she
  had　but　that　one　child。　Diard；　seeing　that　the　eldest；　Juan；　was　in　a
  way　neglected；　took　him　under　his　own　protection；　and　without
  inquiring　even　of　himself　whether　the　boy　was　the　fruit　of　that
  ephemeral　love　to　which　he　owed　his　wife；　he　made　him　his　Benjamin。
  Of　all　the　sentiments　transmitted　to　her　through　the　blood　of　her
  grandmothers　which　consumed　her；　Madame　Diard　accepted　one　alone；
  maternal　love。　But　she　loved　her　children　doubly：　first　with　the　noble
  violence　of　which　her　mother　the　Marana　had　given　her　the　example；
  secondly；　with　grace　and　purity；　in　the　spirit　of　those　social　virtues
  the　practice　of　which　was　the　glory　of　her　life　and　her　inward
  recompense。　The　secret　thought；　the　conscience　of　her　motherhood；
  which　gave　to　the　Marana's　life　its　stamp　of　untaught　poesy；　was　to
  Juana　an　acknowledged　life；　an　open　consolation　at　all　hours。　Her
  mother　had　been　virtuous　as　other　women　are　criminal；in　secret；　she
  had　stolen　a　fancied　happiness；　she　had　never　really　tasted　it。　But
  Juana；　unhappy　in　her　virtue　as　her　mother　was　unhappy　in　her　vice；
  could　enjoy　at　all　moments　the　ineffable　delights　which　her　mother　had
  so　craved　and　could　not　have。　To　her；　as　to　her　mother；　maternity
  comprised　all　earthly　sentiments。　Each；　from　differing　causes；　had　no
  other　comfort　in　their　misery。　Juana's　maternal　love　may　have　been　the
  strongest　because；　deprived　of　all　other　affections；　she　put　the　joys
  she　lacked　into　the　one　joy　of　her　children；　and　there　are　noble
  passions　that　resemble　vice；　the　more　they　are　satisfied　the　more　they
  increase。　Mothers　and　gamblers　are　alike　insatiable。
  When　Juana　saw　the　generous　pardon　laid　silently　on　the　head　of　Juan
  by　Diard's　fatherly　affection；　she　was　much　moved；　and　from　the　day
  when　the　husband　and　wife　changed　parts　she　felt　for　him　the　true　and
  deep　interest　she　had　hitherto　shown　to　him　as　a　matter　of　duty　only。
  If　that　man　had　been　more　consistent　in　his　life；　if　he　had　not
  destroyed　by　fitful　inconstancy　and　restlessness　the　forces　of　a　true
  though　excitable　sensibility；　Juana　would　doubtless　have　loved　him　in
  the　end。　Unfortunately；　he　was　a　type　of　those　southern　natures　which
  are　keen　in　perceptions　they　cannot　follow　out；　capable　of　great
  things　over…night；　and　incapable　the　next　morning；　often　the　victim　of
  their　own　virtues；　and　often　lucky　through　their　worst　passions；
  admirable　men　in　some　respects；　when　their　good　qualities　are　kept　to
  a　steady　energy　by　some　outward　bond。　For　two　years　after　his　retreat
  from　active　life　Diard　was　held　captive　in　his　home　by　the　softest
  chains。　He　lived；　almost　in　spite　of　himself；　under　the　influence　of
  his　wife；　who　made　herself　gay　and　amusing　to　cheer　him；　who　used　the
  resources　of　feminine　genius　to　attract　and　seduce　him　to　a　love　of
  virtue；　but　whose　ability　and　cleverness　did　not　go　so　far　as　to
  simulate　love。
  At　this　time　all　Paris　was　talking　of　the　affair　of　a　captain　in　the
  army　who　in　a　paroxysm　of　libertine　jealousy　had　killed　a　woman。
  Diard；　on　coming　home　to　dinner；　told　his　wife　that　the　officer　was
  dead。　He　had　killed　himself　to　avoid　the　dishonor　of　a　trial　and　the
  shame　of　death　upon　the　scaffold。　Juana　did　not　see　at　first　the　logic
  of　such　conduct；　and　her　husband　was　obliged　to　explain　to　her　the
  fine　jurisprudence　of　French　law；　which　does　not　prosecute　the　dead。
  〃But；　papa；　didn't　you　tell　us　the　other　day　that　the　king　could
  pardon？〃　asked　Francisque。
  〃The　king　can　give　nothing　but　life；〃　said　Juan；　half　scornfully。
  Diard　and　Juana；　the　spectators　of　this　little　scene；　were　differently
  affected　by　it。　The　glance；　moist　with　joy；　which　his　wife　cast　upon
  her　eldest　child　was　a　fatal　revelation　to　the　husband　of　the　secrets
  of　a　heart　hitherto　impenetrable。　That　eldest　child　was　all　Juana；
  Juana　comprehended　him；　she　was　sure　of　his　heart；　his　future；　she
  adored　him；　but　her　ardent　love　was　a　secret　between　herself；　her
  child；　and　God。　Juan　instinctively　enjoyed　the　seeming　indifference　of
  his　mother　in　presence　of　his　father　and　brother；　for　she　pressed　him
  to　her　heart　when　alone。　Francisque　was　Diard；　and　Juana's　incessant
  care　and　watchfulness　betrayed　her　desire　to　correct　in　the　son　the
  vices　of　the　father　and　to　encourage　his　better　qualities。　Juana；
  unaware　that　her　glance　had　said　too　much　and　that　her　husband　had
  rightly　interpreted　it；　took　Francisque　in　her　lap　and　gave　him；　in　a
  gentle　voice　still　trembling　with　the　pleasure　that　Juan's　answer　had
  brought　her；　a　lesson　upon　honor；　simplified　to　his　childish
  intelligence。
  〃That　boy's　character　requires　care；〃　said　Diard。
  〃Yes；〃　she　replied　simply。
  〃How　about　Juan？〃
  Madame　Diard；　struck　by　the　tone　in　which　the　words　were　uttered；
  looked　at　her　husband。
  〃Juan　was　born　perfect；〃　he　added。
  Then　he　sat　down　gloomily；　and　reflected。　Presently；　as　his　wife
  continued　silent；　he　added：
  〃You　love　one　of　YOUR　children　better　than　the　other。〃
  〃You　know　that；〃　she　said。
  〃No；〃　said　Diard；　〃I　did　not　know　until　now　which　of　them　you
  preferred。〃
  〃But　neither　of　them　have　ever　given　me　a　moment's　uneasiness；〃　she
  answered　quickly。
  〃But　one　of　them　gives　you　greater　joys；〃　he　said；　more　quickly　still。
  〃I　never　counted　them；〃　she　said。
  〃How　false　you　women　are！〃　cried　Diard。　〃Will　you　dare　to　say　that
  Juan　is　not　the　child　of　your　heart？〃
  〃If　that　were　so；〃　she　said；　with　dignity；　〃do　you　think　it　a
  misfortune？〃
  〃You　have　never　loved　me。　If　you　had　chosen；　I　would　have　conquered
  worlds　for　your　sake。　You　know　all　that　I　have　struggled　to　do　in
  life；　supported　by　the　hope　of　pleasing　you。　Ah！　if　you　had　only　loved
  me！〃
  〃A　woman　who　loves；〃　said　Juana；　〃likes　to　live　in　solitude；　far　from
  the　world；　and　that　is　what　we　are　doing。〃
  〃I　know；　Juana；　that　YOU　are　never　in　the　wrong。〃
  The　words　were　said　bitterly；　and　cast；　for　the　rest　of　their　lives
  together；　a　coldness　between　them。
  On　the　morrow　of　that　fatal　day　Diard　went　back　to　his　old　companions
  and　found　distractions　for　his　mind　in　play。　Unfortunately；　he　won
  much　money；　and　continued　playing。　Little　by　little；　he　returned　to
  the　dissipated　life　he　had　formerly　lived。　Soon　he　ceased　even　to　dine
  in　his　own　home。
  Some　months　went　by　in　the　enjoyment　of　this　new　independence；　he　was
  determined　to　preserve　it；　and　in　order　to　do　so　he　separated　himself
  from　his　wife；　giving　her　the　large　apartments　and　lodging　himself　in
  the　entresol。　By　the　end　of　the　year　Diard　and　Juana　only　saw　each
  other　in　the　morning　at　breakfast。
  Like　all　gamblers；　he　had　his　alternations　of　loss　and　gain。　Not
  wishing　to　cut　into　the　capital　of　his　fortune；　he　felt　the　necessity
  of　withdrawing　from　his　wife　the　management　of　their　income；　and　the
  day　came　when　he　took　from　her　all　she　had　hitherto　f