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road to the beach。
〃I know all； and a good deal more than you do；〃 he replied。
After that remark father and daughter went some little way in silence。
〃Explain to me； my child； how it happens that a girl whom her mother
idolizes could have taken such an important step as to write to a
stranger without consulting her。〃
〃Oh； papa！ because mamma would never have allowed it。〃
〃And do you think； my daughter； that that was proper？ Though you have
been educating your mind in this fatal way； how is it that your good
sense and your intellect did not； in default of modesty； step in and
show you that by acting as you did you were throwing yourself at a
man's head。 To think that my daughter； my only remaining child； should
lack pride and delicacy！ Oh； Modeste； you made your father pass two
hours in hell when he heard of it； for； after all； your conduct has
been the same as Bettina's without the excuse of a heart's seduction；
you were a coquette in cold blood； and that sort of coquetry is head…
love； the worst vice of French women。〃
〃I； without pride！〃 said Modeste； weeping； 〃but HE has not yet seen
me。〃
〃HE knows your name。〃
〃I did not tell it to him till my eyes had vindicated the
correspondence； lasting three months； during which our souls had
spoken to each other。〃
〃Oh； my dear misguided angel； you have mixed up a species of reason
with a folly that has compromised your own happiness and that of your
family。〃
〃But； after all； papa； happiness is the absolution of my temerity；〃
she said； pouting。
〃Oh！ your conduct is temerity； is it？〃
〃A temerity that my mother practised before me；〃 she retorted quickly。
〃Rebellious child！ your mother after seeing me at a ball told her
father； who adored her； that she thought she could be happy with me。
Be honest； Modeste； is there any likeness between a love hastily
conceived； I admit； but under the eyes of a father； and your mad
action of writing to a stranger？〃
〃A stranger； papa？ say rather one of our greatest poets； whose
character and whose life are exposed to the strongest light of day； to
detraction； to calumny；a man robed in fame； and to whom； my dear
father； I was a mere literary and dramatic personage； one of
Shakespeare's women； until the moment when I wished to know if the man
himself were as beautiful as his soul。〃
〃Good God！ my poor child； you are turning marriage into poetry。 But
if； from time immemorial； girls have been cloistered in the bosom of
their families； if God； if social laws put them under the stern yoke
of parental sanction； it is； mark my words； to spare them the
misfortunes that this very poetry which charms and dazzles you； and
which you are therefore unable to judge of； would entail upon them。
Poetry is indeed one of the pleasures of life； but it is not life
itself。〃
〃Papa； that is a suit still pending before the Court of Facts； the
struggle is forever going on between our hearts and the claims of
family。〃
〃Alas for the child that finds her happiness in resisting them；〃 said
the colonel； gravely。 〃In 1813 I saw one of my comrades； the Marquis
d'Aiglemont； marry his cousin against the wishes of her father； and
the pair have since paid dear for the obstinacy which the young girl
took for love。 The family must be sovereign in marriage。〃
〃My poet has told me all that；〃 she answered。 〃He played Orgon for
some time； and he was brave enough to disparage the personal lives of
poets。〃
〃I have read your letters；〃 said Charles Mignon； with the flicker of a
malicious smile on his lips that made Modeste very uneasy； 〃and I
ought to remark that your last epistle was scarcely permissible in any
woman； even a Julie d'Etanges。 Good God！ what harm novels do！〃
〃We should live them； my dear father； whether people wrote them or
not； I think it is better to read them。 There are not so many
adventures in these days as there were under Louis XIV。 and Louis XV。；
and so they publish fewer novels。 Besides； if you have read those
letters； you must know that I have chosen the most angelic soul； the
most sternly upright man for your son…in…law； and you must have seen
that we love one another at least as much as you and mamma love each
other。 Well； I admit that it was not all exactly conventional； I did；
if you WILL have me say so； wrong〃
〃I have read your letters；〃 said her father； interrupting her； 〃and I
know exactly how far your lover justified you in your own eyes for a
proceeding which might be permissible in some woman who understood
life； and who was led away by strong passion； but which in a young
girl of twenty was a monstrous piece of wrong…doing。〃
〃Yes； wrong…doing for commonplace people； for the narrow…minded
Gobenheims； who measure life with a square rule。 Please let us keep to
the artistic and poetic life； papa。 We young girls have only two ways
to act； we must let a man know we love him by mincing and simpering；
or we must go to him frankly。 Isn't the last way grand and noble？ We
French girls are delivered over by our families like so much
merchandise； at sixty days' sight； sometimes thirty； like Mademoiselle
Vilquin； but in England； and Switzerland； and Germany； they follow
very much the plan I have adopted。 Now what have you got to say to
that？ Am I not half German？〃
〃Child！〃 cried the colonel； looking at her； 〃the supremacy of France
comes from her sound common…sense； from the logic to which her noble
language constrains her mind。 France is the reason of the whole world。
England and Germany are romantic in their marriage customs；though
even there noble families follow our customs。 You certainly do not
mean to deny that your parents； who know life； who are responsible for
your soul and for your happiness； have no right to guard you from the
stumbling…blocks that are in your way？ Good heavens！〃 he continued；
speaking half to himself； 〃is it their fault； or is it ours？ Ought we
to hold our children under an iron yoke？ Must we be punished for the
tenderness that leads us to make them happy； and teaches our hearts
how to do so？〃
Modeste watched her father out of the corner of her eye as she
listened to this species of invocation； uttered in a broken voice。
〃Was it wrong；〃 she said； 〃in a girl whose heart was free； to choose
for her husband not only a charming companion； but a man of noble
genius； born to an honorable position； a gentleman； the equal of
myself； a gentlewoman？〃
〃You love him？〃 asked her father。
〃Father！〃 she said； laying her head upon his breast； 〃would you see me
die？〃
〃Enough！〃 said the old soldier。 〃I see your love is inextinguishable。〃
〃Yes； inextinguishable。〃
〃Can nothing change it？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃No circumstances； no treachery； no betrayal？ You mean that you will
love him in spite of everything； because of his personal attractions？
Even though he proved a D'Estourny； would you love him still？〃
〃Oh； my fa