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Manerville had closed the list of his amorous adventures； and perhaps
her dismissal had something to do with his frame of mind。 At any rate；
without being in any way a Don Juan； he had gathered in the world of
love as many disenchantments as he had met with in the world of
politics。 That ideal of womanhood and of passion； the type of which
perhaps to his sorrowhad lighted and governed his dawn of life； he
despaired of ever finding again。
At thirty years of age； Comte Felix determined to put an end to the
burden of his various felicities by marriage。 On that point his ideas
were extremely fixed； he wanted a young girl brought up in the
strictest tenets of Catholicism。 It was enough for him to know how the
Comtesse de Granville had trained her daughters to make him； after he
had once resolved on marriage； request the hand of the eldest。 He
himself had suffered under the despotism of a mother； he still
remembered his unhappy childhood too well not to recognize； beneath
the reserves of feminine shyness； the state to which such a yoke must
have brought the heart of a young girl； whether that heart was soured；
embittered； or rebellious； or whether it was still peaceful； lovable；
and ready to unclose to noble sentiments。 Tyranny produces two
opposite effects； the symbols of which exist in two grand figures of
ancient slavery； Epictetus and Spartacus；hatred and evil feelings on
the one hand； resignation and tenderness； on the other。
The Comte de Vandenesse recognized himself in Marie…Angelique de
Granville。 In choosing for his wife an artless； innocent； and pure
young girl； this young old man determined to mingle a paternal feeling
with the conjugal feeling。 He knew his own heart was withered by the
world and by politics； and he felt that he was giving in exchange for
a dawning life the remains of a worn…out existence。 Beside those
springtide flowers he was putting the ice of winter； hoary experience
with young and innocent ignorance。 After soberly judging the position；
he took up his conjugal career with ample precaution； indulgence and
perfect confidence were the two anchors to which he moored it。 Mothers
of families ought to seek such men for their daughters。 A good mind
protects like a divinity； disenchantment is as keen…sighted as a
surgeon； experience as foreseeing as a mother。 Those three qualities
are the cardinal virtues of a safe marriage。 All that his past career
had taught to Felix de Vandenesse； the observations of a life that was
busy； literary； and thoughtful by turns； all his forces； in fact； were
now employed in making his wife happy； to that end he applied his
mind。
When Marie…Angelique left the maternal purgatory； she rose at once
into the conjugal paradise prepared for her by Felix； rue du Rocher；
in a house where all things were redolent of aristocracy； but where
the varnish of society did not impede the ease and 〃laisser…aller〃
which young and loving hearts desire so much。 From the start； Marie…
Angelique tasted all the sweets of material life to the very utmost。
For two years her husband made himself； as it were； her purveyor。 He
explained to her； by degrees； and with great art； the things of life；
he initiated her slowly into the mysteries of the highest society； he
taught her the genealogies of noble families； he showed her the world；
he guided her taste in dress； he trained her to converse； he took her
from theatre to theatre； and made her study literature and current
history。 This education he accomplished with all the care of a lover；
father； master； and husband； but he did it soberly and discreetly； he
managed both enjoyments and instructions in such a manner as not to
destroy the value of her religious ideas。 In short； he carried out his
enterprise with the wisdom of a great master。 At the end of four
years； he had the happiness of having formed in the Comtesse de
Vandenesse one of the most lovable and remarkable young women of our
day。
Marie…Angelique felt for Felix precisely the feelings with which Felix
desired to inspire her；true friendship； sincere gratitude； and a
fraternal love； in which was mingled； at certain times； a noble and
dignified tenderness； such as tenderness between husband and wife
ought to be。 She was a mother； and a good mother。 Felix had therefore
attached himself to his young wife by every bond without any
appearance of garroting her；relying for his happiness on the charms
of habit。
None but men trained in the school of lifemen who have gone round
the circle of disillusionment； political and amorousare capable of
following out a course like this。 Felix； however； found in his work
the same pleasure that painters； writers； architects take in their
creations。 He doubly enjoyed both the work and its fruition as he
admired his wife； so artless； yet so well…informed； witty； but
natural； lovable and chaste； a girl； and yet a mother； perfectly free；
though bound by the chains of righteousness。 The history of all good
homes is that of prosperous peoples； it can be written in two lines；
and has in it nothing for literature。 So； as happiness is only
explicable to and by itself； these four years furnish nothing to
relate which was not as tender as the soft outlines of eternal
cherubs； as insipid； alas！ as manna； and about as amusing as the tale
of 〃Astrea。〃
In 1833； this edifice of happiness； so carefully erected by Felix de
Vandenesse； began to crumble； weakened at its base without his
knowledge。 The heart of a woman of twenty…five is no longer that of a
girl of eighteen； any more than the heart of a woman of forty is that
of a woman of thirty。 There are four ages in the life of woman； each
age creates a new woman。 Vandenesse knew； no doubt； the law of these
transformations （created by our modern manners and morals）； but he
forgot them in his own case；just as the best grammarian will forget
a rule of grammar in writing a book； or the greatest general in the
field under fire； surprised by some unlooked…for change of base；
forgets his military tactics。 The man who can perpetually bring his
thought to bear upon his facts is a man of genius； but the man of the
highest genius does not display genius at all times； if he did； he
would be like to God。
After four years of this life； with never a shock to the soul； nor a
word that produced the slightest discord in this sweet concert of
sentiment； the countess； feeling herself developed like a beautiful
plant in a fertile soil； caressed by the sun of a cloudless sky； awoke
to a sense of a new self。 This crisis of her life； the subject of this
Scene； would be incomprehensible without certain explanations； which
may extenuate in the eyes of women the wrong…doing of this young
countess； a happy wife； a happy mother； who seems； at first sight；
inexcusable。
Life results from the action of two opposing principles； when one of
them is lacking the being suffers。 Vandenesse； by satisfying every
need； had suppressed de