coronet　looks　not　amiss　above　a　scutcheon　innocent　of　Imperial
  absurdities。　In　this　way；　in　the　short　space　of　three　years；　Claudine
  had　carried　out　the　programme　laid　down　for　her　by　the　charming；
  light…hearted　La　Palferine。
  〃One　day；　just　above　a　month　ago；　she　climbed　the　miserable　staircase
  to　her　lover's　lodging；　climbed　in　her　glory；　dressed　like　a　real
  countess　of　the　Faubourg　Saint…Germain；　to　our　friend's　garret。　La
  Palferine；　seeing　her；　said；　'You　have　made　a　peeress　of　yourself　I
  know。　But　it　is　too　late；　Claudine；　every　one　is　talking　just　now
  about　the　Southern　Cross；　I　should　like　it　see　it！'
  〃　'I　will　get　it　for　you。'
  〃La　Palferine　burst　into　a　peal　of　Homeric　laughter。
  〃　'Most　distinctly；'　he　returned；　'I　do　/not/　wish　to　have　a　woman　as
  ignorant　as　a　carp　for　my　mistress；　a　woman　that　springs　like　a　flying
  fish　from　the　green…room　of　the　Opera　to　Court；　for　I　should　like　to
  see　you　at　the　Court　of　the　Citizen　King。'
  〃She　turned　to　me。
  〃　'What　is　the　Southern　Cross？'　she　asked；　in　a　sad；　downcast　voice。
  〃I　was　struck　with　admiration　for　this　indomitable　love；　outdoing　the
  most　ingenious　marvels　of　fairy　tales　in　real　lifea　love　that　would
  spring　over　a　precipice　to　find　a　roc's　egg；　or　to　gather　the　singing
  flower。　I　explained　that　the　Southern　Cross　was　a　nebulous
  constellation　even　brighter　than　the　Milky　Way；　arranged　in　the　form
  of　a　cross；　and　that　it　could　only　be　seen　in　southern　latitudes。
  〃　'Very　well；　Charles；　let　us　go；'　said　she。
  〃La　Palferine；　ferocious　though　he　was；　had　tears　in　his　eyes；　but
  what　a　look　there　was　in　Claudine's　face；　what　a　note　in　her　voice！　I
  have　seen　nothing　like　the　thing　that　followed；　not　even　in　the
  supreme　touch　of　a　great　actor's　art；　nothing　to　compare　with　her
  movement　when　she　saw　the　hard　eyes　softened　in　tears；　Claudine　sank
  upon　her　knees　and　kissed　La　Palferine's　pitiless　hand。　He　raised　her
  with　his　grand　manner；　his　'Rusticoli　air；'　as　he　calls　it'There；
  child！'　he　said；　'I　will　do　something　for　you；　I　will　put　youin　my
  will。'
  〃Well；〃　concluded　Nathan；　〃I　ask　myself　sometimes　whether　du　Bruel　is
  really　deceived。　Truly　there　is　nothing　more　comic；　nothing　stranger
  than　the　sight　of　a　careless　young　fellow　ruling　a　married　couple；　his
  slightest　whims　received　as　law；　the　weightiest　decisions　revoked　at　a
  word　from　him。　That　dinner　incident；　as　you　can　see；　is　repeated　times
  without　number；　it　interferes　with　important　matters。　Still；　but　for
  Claudine's　caprices；　du　Bruel　would　be　de　Cursy　still；　one
  vaudevillist　among　five　hundred；　whereas　he　is　in　the　House　of　Peers。〃
  〃You　will　change　the　names；　I　hope！〃　said　Nathan；　addressing　Mme。　de
  la　Baudraye。
  〃I　should　think　so！　I　have　only　set　names　to　the　masks　for　you。　My
  dear　Nathan；〃　she　added　in　the　poet's　ear；　〃I　know　another　case　on
  which　the　wife　takes　du　Bruel's　place。〃
  〃And　the　catastrophe？〃　queried　Lousteau；　returning　just　at　the　end　of
  Mme。　de　la　Baudraye's　story。
  〃I　do　not　believe　in　catastrophes。　One　has　to　invent　such　good　ones　to
  show　that　art　is　quite　a　match　for　chance；　and　nobody　reads　a　book
  twice；　my　friend；　except　for　the　details。〃
  〃But　there　is　a　catastrophe；〃　persisted　Nathan。
  〃What　is　it？〃
  〃The　Marquise　de　Rochefide　is　infatuated　with　Charles　Edward。　My　story
  excited　her　curiosity。〃
  〃Oh；　unhappy　woman！〃　cried　Mme。　de　la　Baudraye。
  〃Not　so　unhappy；〃　said　Nathan；　〃for　Maxime　de　Trailles　and　La
  Palferine　have　brought　about　a　rupture　between　the　Marquis　and　Mme。
  Schontz；　and　they　mean　to　make　it　up　between　Arthur　and　Beatrix。〃
  1839　…　1845。
  End