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On the evening of her death she implored her to remember the tears
that soaked her pillow； and not to imitate a conduct which even
suffering could not expiate。 Bettina accused herself of bringing a
curse upon the family； and died in despair at being unable to obtain
her father's pardon。 Notwithstanding the consolations which the
ministers of religion； touched by her repentance； freely gave her； she
cried in heartrending tones with her latest breath： 〃Oh father！
father！〃 〃Never give your heart without your hand；〃 she said to
Modeste an hour before she died； 〃and above all； accept no attentions
from any man without telling everything to papa and mamma。〃
These words； so earnest in their practical meaning； uttered in the
hour of death； had more effect upon Modeste than if Bettina had
exacted a solemn oath。 The dying girl； farseeing as prophet； drew from
beneath her pillow a ring which she had sent by her faithful maid；
Francoise Cochet； to be engraved in Havre with these words； 〃Think of
Bettina； 1827；〃 and placed it on her sister's finger； begging her to
keep it there until she married。 Thus there had been between these two
young girls a strange commingling of bitter remorse and the artless
visions of a fleeting spring…time too early blighted by the keen north
wind of desertion； yet all their tears； regrets and memories were
always subordinate to their horror of evil。
Nevertheless； this drama of a poor seduced sister returning to die
under a roof of elegant poverty； the failure of her father； the
baseness of her betrothed； the blindness of her mother caused by
grief； had touched the surface only of Modeste's life； by which alone
the Dumays and the Latournelles judged her； for no devotion of friends
can take the place of a mother's eye。 The monotonous life in the
dainty little Chalet； surrounded by the choice flowers which Dumay
cultivated； the family customs； as regular as clock…work； the
provincial decorum； the games at whist while the mother knitted and
the daughter sewed； the silence； broken only by the roar of the sea in
the equinoctial storms；all this monastic tranquillity did in fact
hide an inner and tumultuous life； the life of ideas； the life of the
spiritual being。 We sometimes wonder how it is possible for young
girls to do wrong； but such as do so have no blind mother to send her
plummet line of intuition to the depths of the subterranean fancies of
a virgin heart。 The Dumays slept when Modeste opened her window； as it
were to watch for the passing of a man；the man of her dreams； the
expected knight who was to mount her behind him and ride away under
the fire of Dumay's pistols。
During the depression caused by her sister's death Modeste flung
herself into the practice of reading； until her mind became sodden in
it。 Born to the use of two languages； she could speak and read German
quite as well as French； she had also； together with her sister；
learned English from Madame Dumay。 Being very little overlooked in the
matter of reading by the people about her； who had no literary
knowledge； Modeste fed her soul on the modern masterpieces of three
literatures； English； French； and German。 Lord Byron； Goethe；
Schiller； Walter Scott； Hugo； Lamartine； Crabbe； Moore； the great
works of the 17th and 18th centuries； history； drama； and fiction；
from Astraea to Manon Lescaut； from Montaigne's Essays to Diderot；
from the Fabliaux to the Nouvelle Heloise；in short； the thought of
three lands crowded with confused images that girlish head； august in
its cold guilelessness； its native chastity； but from which there
sprang full…armed； brilliant； sincere； and strong； an overwhelming
admiration for genius。 To Modeste a new book was an event； a
masterpiece that would have horrified Madame Latournelle made her
happy；equally unhappy if the great work did not play havoc with her
heart。 A lyric instinct bubbled in that girlish soul； so full of the
beautiful illusions of its youth。 But of this radiant existence not a
gleam reached the surface of daily life； it escaped the ken of Dumay
and his wife and the Latournelles； the ears of the blind mother alone
caught the crackling of its flame。
The profound disdain which Modeste now conceived for ordinary men gave
to her face a look of pride； an inexpressible untamed shyness； which
tempered her Teutonic simplicity； and accorded well with a peculiarity
of her head。 The hair growing in a point above the forehead seemed the
continuation of a slight line which thought had already furrowed
between the eyebrows； and made the expression of untameability perhaps
a shade too strong。 The voice of this charming child； whom her father；
delighting in her wit； was wont to call his 〃little proverb of
Solomon；〃 had acquired a precious flexibility of organ through the
practice of three languages。 This advantage was still further enhanced
by a natural bell…like tone both sweet and fresh； which touched the
heart as delightfully as it did the ear。 If the mother could no longer
see the signs of a noble destiny upon her daughter's brow； she could
study the transitions of her soul's development in the accents of that
voice attuned to love。
CHAPTER VI
A MAIDEN'S FIRST ROMANCE
To this period of Modeste's eager rage for reading succeeded the
exercise of a strange faculty given to vigorous imaginations；the
power； namely； of making herself an actor in a dream…existence； of
representing to her own mind the things desired； with so vivid a
conception that they seemed actually to attain reality； in short； to
enjoy by thought；to live out her years within her mind； to marry； to
grow old； to attend her own funeral like Charles V。； to play within
herself the comedy of life and； if need be； that of death。 Modeste was
indeed playing； but all alone； the comedy of Love。 She fancied herself
adored to the summit of her wishes in many an imagined phase of social
life。 Sometimes as the heroine of a dark romance； she loved the
executioner； or the wretch who ended her days upon the scaffold； or；
like her sister； some Parisian youth without a penny； whose struggles
were all beneath a garret…roof。 Sometimes she was Ninon； scorning men
amid continual fetes； or some applauded actress； or gay adventuress；
exhausting in her own behalf the luck of Gil Blas； or the triumphs of
Pasta； Malibran； and Florine。 Then； weary of the horrors and
excitements； she returned to actual life。 She married a notary； she
ate the plain brown bread of honest everyday life； she saw herself a
Madame Latournelle； she accepted a painful existence； she bore all the
trials of a struggle with fortune。 After that she went back to the
romances： she was loved for her beauty； a son of a peer of France； an
eccentric； artistic young man； divined her heart； recognized the star
which the genius of a De Stael had planted on her brow。 Her father
returned； possessing millions。 With his permission； she put her
various lovers to certain tests （always