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street prostitute came to Tarragona； driven from Venice at the time of
its fall。 The life of this woman had been a tissue of romantic
adventures and strange vicissitudes。 To her； oftener than to any other
woman of her class； it had happened； thanks to the caprice of great
lords struck with her extraordinary beauty； to be literally gorged
with gold and jewels and all the delights of excessive wealth；
flowers； carriages； pages； maids； palaces； pictures； journeys （like
those of Catherine II。）； in short； the life of a queen； despotic in
her caprices and obeyed； often beyond her own imaginings。 Then；
without herself； or any one； chemist； physician； or man of science；
being able to discover how her gold evaporated； she would find herself
back in the streets； poor； denuded of everything； preserving nothing
but her all…powerful beauty； yet living on without thought or care of
the past； the present； or the future。 Cast； in her poverty； into the
hands of some poor gambling officer； she attached herself to him as a
dog to its master； sharing the discomforts of the military life； which
indeed she comforted； as content under the roof of a garret as beneath
the silken hangings of opulence。 Italian and Spanish both； she
fulfilled very scrupulously the duties of religion； and more than once
she had said to love：
〃Return to…morrow； to…day I belong to God。〃
But this slime permeated with gold and perfumes； this careless
indifference to all things； these unbridled passions； these religious
beliefs cast into that heart like diamonds into mire； this life begun；
and ended； in a hospital； these gambling chances transferred to the
soul； to the very existence；in short； this great alchemy； for which
vice lit the fire beneath the crucible in which fortunes were melted
up and the gold of ancestors and the honor of great names evaporated；
proceeded from a CAUSE； a particular heredity； faithfully transmitted
from mother to daughter since the middle ages。 The name of this woman
was La Marana。 In her family； existing solely in the female line； the
idea； person； name and power of a father had been completely unknown
since the thirteenth century。 The name Marana was to her what the
designation of Stuart is to the celebrated royal race of Scotland； a
name of distinction substituted for the patronymic name by the
constant heredity of the same office devolving on the family。
Formerly； in France； Spain； and Italy； when those three countries had；
in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries； mutual interests which
united and disunited them by perpetual warfare； the name Marana served
to express in its general sense； a prostitute。 In those days women of
that sort had a certain rank in the world of which nothing in our day
can give an idea。 Ninon de l'Enclos and Marian Delorme have alone
played； in France； the role of the Imperias； Catalinas； and Maranas
who； in preceding centuries； gathered around them the cassock； gown；
and sword。 An Imperia built I forget which church in Rome in a frenzy
of repentance； as Rhodope built； in earlier times； a pyramid in Egypt。
The name Marana； inflicted at first as a disgrace upon the singular
family with which we are now concerned； had ended by becoming its
veritable name and by ennobling its vice by incontestable antiquity。
One day； a day of opulence or of penury I know not which； for this
event was a secret between herself and God； but assuredly it was in a
moment of repentance and melancholy； this Marana of the nineteenth
century stood with her feet in the slime and her head raised to
heaven。 She cursed the blood in her veins； she cursed herself； she
trembled lest she should have a daughter； and she swore； as such women
swear； on the honor and with the will of the galleysthe firmest
will； the most scrupulous honor that there is on earthshe swore；
before an altar； and believing in that altar； to make her daughter a
virtuous creature； a saint； and thus to gain； after that long line of
lost women； criminals in love； an angel in heaven for them all。
The vow once made； the blood of the Maranas spoke； the courtesan
returned to her reckless life； a thought the more within her heart。 At
last she loved； with the violent love of such women； as Henrietta
Wilson loved Lord Ponsonby； as Mademoiselle Dupuis loved Bolingbroke；
as the Marchesa Pescara loved her husbandbut no； she did not love；
she adored one of those fair men； half women； to whom she gave the
virtues which she had not； striving to keep for herself all that there
was of vice between them。 It was from that weak man； that senseless
marriage unblessed by God or man which happiness is thought to
justify； but which no happiness absolves； and for which men blush at
last； that she had a daughter； a daughter to save； a daughter for whom
to desire a noble life and the chastity she had not。 Henceforth； happy
or not happy； opulent or beggared； she had in her heart a pure；
untainted sentiment； the highest of all human feelings because the
most disinterested。 Love has its egotism； but motherhood has none。 La
Marana was a mother like none other； for； in her total； her eternal
shipwreck； motherhood might still redeem her。 To accomplish sacredly
through life the task of sending a pure soul to heaven； was not that a
better thing than a tardy repentance？ was it not； in truth； the only
spotless prayer which she could lift to God？
So； when this daughter； when her Marie…Juana…Pepita （she would fain
have given her all the saints in the calendar as guardians）； when this
dear little creature was granted to her； she became possessed of so
high an idea of the dignity of motherhood that she entreated vice to
grant her a respite。 She made herself virtuous and lived in solitude。
No more fetes； no more orgies； no more love。 All joys； all fortunes
were centred now in the cradle of her child。 The tones of that infant
voice made an oasis for her soul in the burning sands of her
existence。 That sentiment could not be measured or estimated by any
other。 Did it not； in fact； comprise all human sentiments； all
heavenly hopes？ La Marana was so resolved not to soil her daughter
with any stain other than that of birth； that she sought to invest her
with social virtues； she even obliged the young father to settle a
handsome patrimony upon the child and to give her his name。 Thus the
girl was not know as Juana Marana； but as Juana di Mancini。
Then； after seven years of joy； and kisses； and intoxicating
happiness； the time came when the poor Marana deprived herself of her
idol。 That Juana might never bow her head under their hereditary
shame； the mother had the courage to renounce her child for her
child's sake； and to seek； not without horrible suffering； for another
mother； another home； other principles to follow； other and saintlier
examples to imitate。 The abdication of a mother is either a revolting
act or a sublime one； in this case； was it not sublime？
At Tarragona a lucky accident thr