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retreated within his military stiffness and came out of it no more；
neither on the way to the Opera nor in the box； where he seemed to be
asleep。
〃You see； madame； that I am a very stupid man；〃 he said during the
dance in the last act of 〃Guillaume Tell。〃 〃Am I not right to keep； as
the saying is； to my own specialty？〃
〃In truth； my dear captain； you are neither a talker nor a man of the
world； but you are perhaps Polish。〃
〃Therefore leave me to look after your pleasures； your property； your
householdit is all I am good for。〃
〃Tartufe！ pooh！〃 cried Adam； laughing。 〃My dear； he is full of ardor；
he is thoroughly educated； he can； if he chooses； hold his own in any
salon。 Clementine； don't believe his modesty。〃
〃Adieu； comtesse； I have obeyed your wishes so far； and now I will
take the carriage and go home to bed and send it back for you。〃
Clementine bowed her head and let him go without replying。
〃What a bear！〃 she said to the count。 〃You are a great deal nicer。〃
Adam pressed her hand when no one was looking。
〃Poor； dear Thaddeus；〃 he said； 〃he is trying to make himself
disagreeable where most men would try to seem more amiable than I。〃
〃Oh！〃 she said； 〃I am not sure but what there is some CALCULATION in
his behavior； he would have taken in an ordinary woman。〃
Half an hour later； when the chasseur； Boleslas； called out 〃Gate！〃
and the carriage was waiting for it to swing back； Clementine said to
her husband； 〃Where does the captain perch？〃
〃Why； there！〃 replied Adam； pointing to a floor above the porte…
cochere which had one window looking on the street。 〃His apartments
are over the coachhouse。〃
〃Who lives on the other side？〃 asked the countess。
〃No one as yet；〃 said Adam； 〃I mean that apartment for our children
and their instructors。〃
〃He didn't go to bed；〃 said the countess； observing lights in
Thaddeus's rooms when the carriage had passed under the portico
supported by columns copied from those of the Tuileries； which
replaced a vulgar zinc awning painted in stripes like cloth。
The captain； in his dressing…gown with a pipe in his mouth； was
watching Clementine as she entered the vestibule。 The day had been a
hard one for him。 And here is the reason why： A great and terrible
emotion had taken possession of his heart on the day when Adam made
him go to the Opera to see and give his opinion on Mademoiselle du
Rouvre； and again when he saw her on the occasion of her marriage； and
recognized in her the woman whom a man is forced to love exclusively。
For this reason Paz strongly advised and promoted the long journey to
Italy and elsewhere after the marriage。 At peace so long as Clementine
was away； his trial was renewed on the return of the happy household。
As he sat at his window on this memorable night； smoking his latakia
in a pipe of wild…cherry wood six feet long； given to him by Adam；
these are the thoughts that were passing through his mind：
〃I； and God； who will reward me for suffering in silence； alone know
how I love her！ But how shall I manage to have neither her love nor
her dislike？〃
And his thoughts travelled far on this strange theme。
It must not be supposed that Thaddeus was living without pleasure； in
the midst of his sufferings。 The deceptions of this day； for instance；
were a source of inward joy to him。 Since the return of the count and
countess he had daily felt ineffable satisfactions in knowing himself
necessary to a household which； without his devotion to its interests；
would infallibly have gone to ruin。 What fortune can bear the strain
of reckless prodigality？ Clementine； brought up by a spendthrift
father； knew nothing of the management of a household which the women
of the present day； however rich or noble they are； are often
compelled to undertake themselves。 How few； in these days； keep a
steward。 Adam； on the other hand； son of one of the great Polish lords
who let themselves be preyed on by the Jews； and are wholly incapable
of managing even the wreck of their vast fortunes （for fortunes are
vast in Poland）； was not of a nature to check his own fancies or those
of his wife。 Left to himself he would probably have been ruined before
his marriage。 Paz had prevented him from gambling at the Bourse； and
that says all。
Under these circumstances； Thaddeus； feeling that he loved Clementine
in spite of himself； had not the resource of leaving the house and
travelling in other lands to forget his passion。 Gratitude； the key…
note of his life； held him bound to that household where he alone
could look after the affairs of the heedless owners。 The long absence
of Adam and Clementine had given him peace。 But the countess had
returned more lovely than ever； enjoying the freedom which marriage
brings to a Parisian woman； displaying the graces of a young wife and
the nameless attraction she gains from the happiness； or the
independence； bestowed upon her by a young man as trustful； as
chivalric； and as much in love as Adam。 To know that he was the pivot
on which the splendor the household depended； to see Clementine when
she got out of her carriage on returning from some fete； or got into
it in the morning when she took her drive； to meet her on the
boulevards in her pretty equipage； looking like a flower in a whorl of
leaves； inspired poor Thaddeus with mysterious delights； which glowed
in the depths of his heart but gave no signs upon his face。
How happened it that for five whole months the countess had never
perceived the captain？ Because he hid himself from her knowledge； and
carefully concealed the pains he took to avoid her。 Nothing so
resembles the Divine love as hopeless human love。 A man must have
great depth of heart to devote himself in silence and obscurity to a
woman。 In such a heart is the worship of love for love's sake only
sublime avarice； sublime because ever generous and founded on the
mysterious existence of the principles of creation。 EFFECT is nature；
and nature is enchanting； it belongs to man； to the poet； the painter；
the lover。 But CAUSE； to a few privileged souls and to certain mighty
thinkers； is superior to nature。 Cause is God。 In the sphere of causes
live the Newtons and all such thinkers as Laplace； Kepler； Descartes；
Malebranche； Spinoza； Buffon； also the true poets and solitarys of the
second Christian century； and the Saint Teresas of Spain； and such
sublime ecstatics。 All human sentiments bear analogy to these
conditions whenever the mind abandons Effect for Cause。 Thaddeus had
reached this height； at which all things change their relative aspect。
Filled with the joys unutterable of a creator he had attained in his
love to all that genius has revealed to us of grandeur。
〃No；〃 he was thinking to himself as he watched the curling smoke of
his pipe； 〃she was not entirely deceived。 She might break up my
friendship with Adam if she took a dislike to me； but if she coquetted
with m