you　all　you　have　lost　by　me？　Be　quite　easy；〃　said　Madame　de　la
  Baudraye；　astounded　by　this　attack。　〃Your　Ellenore　is　not　dying；　and
  if　God　gives　her　life；　if　you　amend　your　ways；　if　you　give　up
  courtesans　and　actresses；　we　will　find　you　a　better　match　than　a
  Felicie　Cardot。〃
  The　two　lovers　were　sullen。　Lousteau　affected　dejection；　he　aimed　at
  appearing　hard　and　cold；　while　Dinah；　really　distressed；　listened　to
  the　reproaches　of　her　heart。
  〃Why；〃　said　Lousteau　presently；　〃why　not　end　as　we　ought　to　have　begun
  hide　our　love　from　all　eyes；　and　see　each　other　in　secret？〃
  〃Never！〃　cried　the　new…made　Countess；　with　an　icy　look。　〃Do　you　not
  comprehend　that　we　are；　after　all；　but　finite　creatures？　Our　feelings
  seem　infinite　by　reason　of　our　anticipation　of　heaven；　but　here　on
  earth　they　are　limited　by　the　strength　of　our　physical　being。　There
  are　some　feeble；　mean　natures　which　may　receive　an　endless　number　of
  wounds　and　live　on；　but　there　are　some　more　highly…tempered　souls
  which　snap　at　last　under　repeated　blows。　You　have〃
  〃Oh！　enough！〃　cried　he。　〃No　more　copy！　Your　dissertation　is
  unnecessary；　since　you　can　justify　yourself　by　merely　saying'I　have
  ceased　to　love！'　〃
  〃What！〃　she　exclaimed　in　bewilderment。　〃Is　it　I　who　have　ceased　to
  love？〃
  〃Certainly。　You　have　calculated　that　I　gave　you　more　trouble；　more
  vexation　than　pleasure；　and　you　desert　your　partner〃
  〃I　desert！〃　cried　she；　clasping　her　hands。
  〃Have　not　you　yourself　just　said　'Never'？〃
  〃Well；　then；　yes！　/Never/；〃　she　repeated　vehemently。
  This　final　/Never/；　spoken　in　the　fear　of　falling　once　more　under
  Lousteau's　influence；　was　interpreted　by　him　as　the　death…warrant　of
  his　power；　since　Dinah　remained　insensible　to　his　sarcastic　scorn。
  The　journalist　could　not　suppress　a　tear。　He　was　losing　a　sincere　and
  unbounded　affection。　He　had　found　in　Dinah　the　gentlest　La　Valliere；
  the　most　delightful　Pompadour　that　any　egoist　short　of　a　king　could
  hope　for；　and；　like　a　boy　who　has　discovered　that　by　dint　of
  tormenting　a　cockchafer　he　has　killed　it；　Lousteau　shed　a　tear。
  Madame　de　la　Baudraye　rushed　out　of　the　private　room　where　they　had
  been　dining；　paid　the　bill；　and　fled　home　to　the　Rue　de　l'Arcade；
  scolding　herself　and　thinking　herself　a　brute。
  Dinah；　who　had　made　her　house　a　model　of　comfort；　now　metamorphosed
  herself。　This　double　metamorphosis　cost　thirty　thousand　francs　more
  than　her　husband　had　anticipated。
  The　fatal　accident　which　in　1842　deprived　the　House　of　Orleans　of　the
  heir…presumptive　having　necessitated　a　meeting　of　the　Chambers　in
  August　of　that　year；　little　La　Baudraye　came　to　present　his　titles　to
  the　Upper　House　sooner　than　he　had　expected；　and　then　saw　what　his
  wife　had　done。　He　was　so　much　delighted；　that　he　paid　the　thirty
  thousand　francs　without　a　word；　just　as　he　had　formerly　paid　eight
  thousand　for　decorating　La　Baudraye。
  On　his　return　from　the　Luxembourg；　where　he　had　been　presented
  according　to　custom　by　two　of　his　peersthe　Baron　de　Nucingen　and　the
  Marquis　de　Montriveauthe　new　Count　met　the　old　Duc　de　Chaulieu；　a
  former　creditor；　walking　along；　umbrella　in　hand；　while　he　himself　sat
  perched　in　a　low　chaise　on　which　his　coat…of…arms　was　resplendent；
  with　the　motto；　/Deo　sic　patet　fides　et　hominibus/。　This　contrast
  filled　his　heart　with　a　large　draught　of　the　balm　on　which　the　middle
  class　has　been　getting　drunk　ever　since　1840。
  Madame　de　la　Baudraye　was　shocked　to　see　her　husband　improved　and
  looking　better　than　on　the　day　of　his　marriage。　The　little　dwarf；　full
  of　rapturous　delight；　at　sixty…four　triumphed　in　the　life　which　had　so
  long　been　denied　him；　in　the　family；　which　his　handsome　cousin　Milaud
  of　Nevers　had　declared　he　would　never　have；　and　in　his　wifewho　had
  asked　Monsieur　and　Madame　de　Clagny　to　dinner　to　meet　the　cure　of　the
  parish　and　his　two　sponsors　to　the　Chamber　of　Peers。　He　petted　the
  children　with　fatuous　delight。
  The　handsome　display　on　the　table　met　with　his　approval。
  〃These　are　the　fleeces　of　the　Berry　sheep；〃　said　he；　showing　Monsieur
  de　Nucingen　the　dish…covers　surmounted　by　his　newly…won　coronet。　〃They
  are　of　silver；　you　see！〃
  Though　consumed　by　melancholy；　which　she　concealed　with　the
  determination　of　a　really　superior　woman；　Dinah　was　charming；　witty；
  and　above　all；　young　again　in　her　court　mourning。
  〃You　might　declare；〃　cried　La　Baudraye　to　Monsieur　de　Nucingen　with　a
  wave　of　his　hand　to　his　wife；　〃that　the　Countess　was　not　yet　thirty。〃
  〃Ah；　ha！　Matame　is　a　voman　of　dirty！〃　replied　the　baron；　who　was　prone
  to　time…honored　remarks；　which　he　took　to　be　the　small　change　of
  conversation。
  〃In　every　sense　of　the　words；〃　replied　the　Countess。　〃I　am；　in　fact；
  five…and…thirty；　and　mean　to　set　up　a　little　passion〃
  〃Oh；　yes；　my　wife　ruins　me　in　curiosities　and　china　images〃
  〃She　started　that　mania　at　an　early　age；〃　said　the　Marquis　de
  Montriveau　with　a　smile。
  〃Yes；〃　said　La　Baudraye；　with　a　cold　stare　at　the　Marquis；　whom　he　had
  known　at　Bourges；　〃you　know　that　in　'25；　'26；　and　'27；　she　picked　a
  million　francs'　worth　of　treasures。　Anzy　is　a　perfect　museum。〃
  〃What　a　cool　hand！〃　thought　Monsieur　de　Clagny；　as　he　saw　this　little
  country　miser　quite　on　the　level　of　his　new　position。
  But　misers　have　savings　of　all　kinds　ready　for　use。
  On　the　day　after　the　vote　on　the　Regency　had　passed　the　Chambers；　the
  little　Count　went　back　to　Sancerre　for　the　vintage　and　resumed　his　old
  habits。
  In　the　course　of　that　winter；　the　Comtesse　de　la　Baudraye；　with　the
  support　of　the　Attorney…General　to　the　Court　of　Appeals；　tried　to　form
  a　little　circle。　Of　course；　she　had　an　〃at　home〃　day；　she　made　a
  selection　among　men　of　mark；　receiving　none　but　those　of　serious
  purpose　and　ripe　years。　She　tried　to　amuse　herself　by　going　to　the
  Opera；　French　and　Italian。　Twice　a　week　she　appeared　there　with　her
  mother　and　Madame　de　Clagny；　who　was　made　by　her　husband　to　visit
  Dinah。　Still；　in　spite　of　her　cleverness；　her　charming　manners；　her
  fashionable　stylishness；　she　was　never　really　happy　but　with　her
  children；　on　whom　she　lavished　all　her　disappointed　affection。
  Worthy　Monsieur　de　Clagny　tried　to　recruit　women　for　the　Countess'
  circle；　and　he　succeeded；　but　he　was　more　successful　among　the
  advocates　of　piety　than　the　women　of　fashion。
  〃And　they　bore　her！〃　said　he　to　himself　with　horror；　as　he　saw　his
  idol　matured　by　grief；　pale　from　remorse；　and　then；　in　all　the
  splendor　of　recovered　beauty；　restored　by　a　life　of　luxury　and　care
  for　her　boys。　This　devoted　friend；　encouraged　in　his　efforts　by　her
  mother　and　by　the　cure　was　full　of　expedient。　Every　Wednesday　he
  introduced　some　celebrity　from　Germany；　England；　Italy；　or　Prussia　to
  his　dear　Countess；　he　spoke　of　her　as　a　quite　exceptional　woman　to
  people　to　whom　she　hardly　addressed　two　words；　but　she　listened　to
  them　with　such　deep　attention　that　they　went　away　fully　convinced　of
  her　superiority。　In　Paris；　Dinah　conquered　by　silence；　as　at　Sancerre
  she　had　conquered　by　loquacity。　Now　and　then；　some　smart　saying　about
  affairs；　or　sarcasm　on　an　absurdity；　betrayed　a　woman　accustomed　to
  deal　with　ideasthe　woman　who；　four　years　since；　had　given　new　life
  to　Lousteau's　articles。
  This　phase　was　to　the　poor　lawyer's　hapless　passion　like　the　late
  season　known　as　the　Indian　summer　after　a　sunless　year。　He　affected　to
  be　older　than　he　was；　to　have　the　right　to　befriend　Dinah　without
  doing　her　an　injury；　and　kept　himself　at　a　distance　as　though　he　were
  young；　handsome；　and　compromising；　like　a　man　who　has　happiness　to
  conceal。　He　tried　to　keep　his　little　attentions　a　profound　secret；　and
  the　trifling　gifts　which　Dinah　showed　to　every　one；　he　endeavored　to
  suggest　a　dangerous　meaning　for　his　little　services。
  〃He　plays　at　passion；〃　said　the　Countess；　laughing。　She　made　fun　of
  Monsieur　de　Clagny　to　his　face；　and　the　lawyer　said；　〃She　notices　me。〃
  〃I　impress　that　poor　man　so　deeply；〃　said　she　to　her　mother；　laughing；
  〃that　if　I　would　say　Yes；　I　believe　he　would　say　No。〃
  One　evening　Monsieur　de　Clagny　and　his　wife　were　taking　his　dear
  Countess　home　from　the　theatre；　and　she　was　deeply　pensive。　They　had
  been　to　the　first　performance　of　Leon　Gozlan's　first　play；　/La　Main
  Droite　et　la　Main　Gauche/　（The　Right　Hand　and　the　Left）。
  〃What　are　you　thinking　about？〃　asked　the　lawyer；　alarmed　at　his　idol's
  dejection。
  This　deep　and　persistent　melancholy；　though　disguised　by　the　Countess；
  was　a　perilous　malady　for　which　Monsieur　de　Clagny　knew　no　remedy；　for
  true　love　is　often　clumsy；　especially　when　it　is　not　reciprocated。
  True　love　takes　its　expression　from　the　character。　Now；　this　good　man
  loved　after　the　fashion　of　Alceste；　when　Madame　de　la　Baudraye　wanted
  to　be　loved　after　the　manner　of　Philinte。　The　meaner　side　of　love　can
  never　get　on　with　the　Misanthrope's　loyalty。　Thus；　Dinah　had　taken
  care　never　to　open　her　heart　to　this　man。　How　could　she　confess　to　him
  that　she　sometimes　regretted　the　slough　she　had　left？
  She　felt　a　void　in　this　fashionable　life；　she　had　no　one　for　whom　to
  dress；　or　whom　to　tell　of　her　successes　and　triumphs。　Sometimes　the
  memory　of　her　wretchedness　came　to　her；　mingled　with　memories　of
  consuming　joys。　She　would　hate　Lo