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Parisian can allow himself to be the dupe of a little country girl？
Incapable of being duped！ that horrid maxim is the dissolvent of all
noble sentiments in man。
We can readily guess the struggle of feeling to which this honest
young fellow fell a prey when we read the letter that he now indited；
in which every stroke of the flail which scourged his conscience will
be found to have left its trace。
This is what Modeste read a few days later； as she sat by her window
on a fine summer's day：
Mademoiselle；Without hypocrisy or evasion； YES； if I had been
certain that you possessed an immense fortune I should have acted
differently。 Why？ I have searched for the reason； here it is。 We
have within us an inborn feeling； inordinately developed by social
life； which drives us to the pursuit and to the possession of
happiness。 Most men confound happiness with the means that lead to
it； money in their eyes is the chief element of happiness。 I
should； therefore； have endeavored to win you； prompted by that
social sentiment which has in all ages made wealth a religion。 At
least； I think I should。 It is not to be expected of a man still
young that he can have the wisdom to substitute sound sense for
the pleasure of the senses； within sight of a prey the brutal
instincts hidden in the heart of man drive him on。 Instead of that
lesson； I should have sent you compliments and flatteries。 Should
I have kept my own esteem in so doing？ I doubt it。 Mademoiselle；
in such a case success brings absolution； but happiness？ That is
another thing。 Should I have distrusted my wife had I won her in
that way？ Most assuredly I should。 Your advance on me would sooner
or later have come between us。 Your husband； however grand your
fancy may make him； would have ended by reproaching you for having
abased him。 You； yourself； might have come； sooner or later； to
despise him。 The strong man forgives； but the poet whines。 Such；
mademoiselle； is the answer which my honesty compels me to make to
you。
And now； listen to me。 You have the triumph of forcing me to
reflect deeply；first on you； whom I do not sufficiently know；
next； on myself； of whom I knew too little。 You have had the power
to stir up many of the evil thoughts which crouched in my heart；
as in all hearts； but from them something good and generous has
come forth； and I salute you with my most fervent benedictions；
just as at sea we salute the lighthouse which shows the rocks on
which we were about to perish。 Here is my confession； for I would
not lose your esteem nor my own for all the treasures of earth。
I wished to know who you are。 I have just returned from Havre；
where I saw Francoise Cochet； and followed her to Ingouville。 You
are as beautiful as the woman of a poet's dream； but I do not know
if you are Mademoiselle Vilquin concealed under Mademoiselle
d'Herouville； or Mademoiselle d'Herouville hidden under
Mademoiselle Vilquin。 Though all is fair in war； I blushed at such
spying and stopped short in my inquiries。 You have roused my
curiosity； forgive me for being somewhat of a woman； it is； I
believe； the privilege of a poet。
Now that I have laid bare my heart and allowed you to read it； you
will believe in the sincerity of what I am about to add。 Though
the glimpse I had of you was all too rapid； it has sufficed to
modify my opinion of your conduct。 You are a poet and a poem； even
more than you are a woman。 Yes； there is in you something more
precious than beauty； you are the beautiful Ideal of art； of
fancy。 The step you took； blamable as it would be in an ordinary
young girl； allotted to an every…day destiny； has another aspect
if endowed with the nature which I now attribute to you。 Among the
crowd of beings flung by fate into the social life of this planet
to make up a generation there are exceptional souls。 If your
letter is the outcome of long poetic reveries on the fate which
conventions bring to women； if； constrained by the impulse of a
lofty and intelligent mind； you have wished to understand the life
of a man to whom you attribute the gift of genius； to the end that
you may create a friendship withdrawn from the ordinary relations
of life； with a soul in communion with your own； disregarding thus
the ordinary trammels of your sex；then； assuredly； you are an
exception。 The law which rightly limits the actions of the crowd
is too limited for you。 But in that case； the remark in my first
letter returns in greater force；you have done too much or not
enough。
Accept once more my thanks for the service you have rendered me；
that of compelling me to sound my heart。 You have corrected in me
the false idea； only too common in France； that marriage should be
a means of fortune。 While I struggled with my conscience a sacred
voice spoke to me。 I swore solemnly to make my fortune myself； and
not be led by motives of cupidity in choosing the companion of my
life。 I have also reproached myself for the blamable curiosity you
have excited in me。 You have not six millions。 There is no
concealment possible in Havre for a young lady who possesses such
a fortune； you would be discovered at once by the pack of hounds
of great families whom I see in Paris on the hunt after heiresses；
and who have already sent one； the grand equerry； the young duke；
among the Vilquins。 Therefore； believe me； the sentiments I have
now expressed are fixed in my mind as a rule of life； from which I
have abstracted all influences of romance or of actual fact。 Prove
to me； therefore； that you have one of those souls which may be
forgiven for its disobedience to the common law； by perceiving and
comprehending the spirit of this letter as you did that of my
first letter。 If you are destined to a middle…class life； obey the
iron law which holds society together。 Lifted in mind above other
women； I admire you； but if you seek to obey an impulse which you
ought to repress； I pity you。 The all…wise moral of that great
domestic epic 〃Clarissa Harlowe〃 is that legitimate and honorable
love led the poor victim to her ruin because it was conceived；
developed； and pursued beyond the boundaries of family restraint。
The family； however cruel and even foolish it may be； is in the
right against the Lovelaces。 The family is Society。 Believe me；
the glory of a young girl； of a woman； must always be that of
repressing her most ardent impulses within the narrow sphere of
conventions。 If I had a daughter able to become a Madame de Stael
I should wish her dead at fifteen。 Can you imagine a daughter of
yours flaunting on the stage of fame； exhibiting herself to win
the plaudits of a crowd； and not suffer anguish at the thought？ No
matter to what heights a woman can rise by the inward poetry of
her soul； she must sacrifice t