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〃About Malaga？〃 said Thaddeus； with bitterness in his heart。
〃Well； yes；〃 she said； 〃if you wish to end your days in this house and
continue good friends with us； you must give her up。 How an old
soldier〃
〃I am only thirty…five； and haven't a white hair。〃
〃You look old；〃 she said； 〃and that's the same thing。 How so careful a
manager； so distinguished a〃
The horrible part of all this was her evident intention to rouse a
sense of honor in his soul which she thought extinct。
〃so distinguished a man as you are； Thaddeus；〃 she resumed after a
momentary pause which a gesture of his hand had led her to make； 〃can
allow yourself to be caught like a boy！ Your proceedings have made
that woman celebrated。 My uncle wanted to see her； and he did see her。
My uncle is not the only one； Malaga receives a great many gentlemen。
I did think you such a noble soul。 For shame！ Will she be such a loss
that you can't replace her？〃
〃Madame； if I knew any sacrifice I could make to recover your esteem I
would make it； but to give up Malaga is not one〃
〃In your position； that is what I should say myself； if I were a man；〃
replied Clementine。 〃Well； if I accept it as a great sacrifice there
can be no ill…will between us。〃
Paz left the room； fearing he might commit some great folly； and
feeling that wild ideas were getting the better of him。 He went to
walk in the open air； lightly dressed in spite of the cold； but
without being able to cool the fire in his cheeks or on his brow。
〃I thought you had a noble soul；〃the words still rang in his ears。
〃A year ago；〃 he said to himself； 〃she thought me a hero who could
fight the Russians single…handed！〃
He thought of leaving the hotel Laginski； and taking service with the
spahis and getting killed in Africa； but the same great fear checked
him。 〃Without me；〃 he thought； 〃what would become of them？ they would
soon be ruined。 Poor countess！ what a horrible life it would be for
her if she were reduced to even thirty thousand francs a year。 No；
since all is lost for me in this world；courage！ I will keep on as I
am。〃
Every one knows that since 1830 the carnival in Paris has undergone a
transformation which has made it European； and far more burlesque and
otherwise lively than the late Carnival of Venice。 Is it that the
diminishing fortunes of the present time have led Parisians to invent
a way of amusing themselves collectively； as for instance at their
clubs； where they hold salons without hostesses and without manners；
but very cheaply？ However this may be； the month of March was prodigal
of balls； at which dancing； joking； coarse fun； excitement； grotesque
figures； and the sharp satire of Parisian wit； produced extravagant
effects。 These carnival follies had their special Pandemonium in the
rue Saint…Honore and their Napoleon in Musard； a small man born
expressly to lead an orchestra as noisy as the disorderly audience；
and to set the time for the galop； that witches' dance； which was one
of Auber's triumphs； for it did not really take form or poesy till the
grand galop in 〃Gustave〃 was given to the world。 That tremendous
finale might serve as the symbol of an epoch in which for the last
fifty years all things have hurried by with the rapidity of a dream。
Now； it happened that the grave Thaddeus； with one divine and
immaculate image in his heart； proposed to Malaga； the queen of the
carnival dances； to spend an evening at the Musard ball； because he
knew the countess； disguised to the teeth； intended to come there with
two friends； all three accompanied by their husbands； and look on at
the curious spectacle of one of these crowded balls。
On Shrove Tuesday； of the year 1838； at four o'clock in the morning；
the countess； wrapped in a black domino and sitting on the lower step
of the platform in the Babylonian hall； where Valentino has since then
given his concerts； beheld Thaddeus； as Robert Macaire； threading the
galop with Malaga in the dress of a savage； her head garnished with
plumes like the horse of a hearse； and bounding through the crowd like
a will…o…the…wisp。
〃Ah！〃 said Clementine to her husband； 〃you Poles have no honor at all！
I did believe in Thaddeus。 He gave me his word that he would leave
that woman； he did not know that I should be here； seeing all unseen。〃
A few days later she requested Paz to dine with them。 After dinner
Adam left them alone together； and Clementine reproved Paz and let him
know very plainly that she did not wish him to live in her house any
longer。
〃Yes； madame；〃 said Paz； humbly； 〃you are right； I am a wretch； I did
give you my word。 But you see how it is； I put off leaving Malaga till
after the carnival。 Besides； that woman exerts an influence over me
which〃
〃An influence！a woman who ought to be turned out of Musard's by the
police for such dancing！〃
〃I agree to all that； I accept the condemnation and I'll leave your
house。 But you know Adam。 If I give up the management of your property
you must show energy yourself。 I may have been to blame about Malaga；
but I have taken the whole charge of your affairs； managed your
servants； and looked after the very least details。 I cannot leave you
until I see you prepared to continue my management。 You have now been
married three years； and you are safe from the temptations to
extravagance which come with the honeymoon。 I see that Parisian women；
and even titled ones； do manage both their fortunes and their
households。 Well； as soon as I am certain not so much of your capacity
as of your perseverance I shall leave Paris。〃
〃It is Thaddeus of Warsaw； and not that Circus Thaddeus who speaks
now；〃 said Clementine。 〃Go； and come back cured。〃
〃Cured！ never；〃 said Paz； his eyes lowered and fixed on Clementine's
pretty feet。 〃You do not know； countess； what charm； what unexpected
piquancy of mind she has。〃 Then； feeling his courage fail him； he
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