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A large part of the poem was devoted to describing Paquita's
sufferings when alone in Rouen waiting till the campaign was over； she
stood writhing at the window bars as she watched happy couples go by；
she suppressed her passion in her heart with a determination that
consumed her； she lived on narcotics； and exhausted herself in dreams。
Almost she died； but still her heart was true；
And when at last her soldier came again；
He found her beauty ever fresh and new
He had not loved in vain！
〃But he； pale and frozen by the cold of Russia； chilled to the very
marrow； met his yearning fair one with a melancholy smile。〃
The whole poem was written up to this situation； which was worked out
with such vigor and boldness as too entirely justified the Abbe Duret。
Paquita； on reaching the limits set to real love； did not； like Julie
and Heloise； throw herself into the ideal； no； she rushed into the
paths of vice； which is； no doubt； shockingly natural； but she did it
without any touch of magnificence； for lack of means； as it would be
difficult to find in Rouen men impassioned enough to place Paquita in
a suitable setting of luxury and splendor。 This horrible realism；
emphasized by gloomy poetic feeling； had inspired some passages such
as modern poetry is too free with； rather too like the flayed
anatomical figures known to artists as /ecorches/。 Then； by a highly
philosophical revulsion； after describing the house of ill…fame where
the Andalusian ended her days； the writer came back to the ballad at
the opening：
Paquita now is faded； shrunk； and old；
But she it was who sang：
〃If you but knew the fragrant plain；
The air； the sky； of golden Spain；〃 etc。
The gloomy vigor of this poem； running to about six hundred lines； and
serving as a powerful foil； to use a painter's word； to the two
/seguidillas/ at the beginning and end； the masculine utterance of
inexpressible grief； alarmed the woman who found herself admired by
three departments； under the black cloak of the anonymous。 While she
fully enjoyed the intoxicating delights of success； Dinah dreaded the
malignity of provincial society； where more than one woman； if the
secret should slip out； would certainly find points of resemblance
between the writer and Paquita。 Reflection came too late； Dinah
shuddered with shame at having made 〃copy〃 of some of her woes。
〃Write no more；〃 said the Abbe Duret。 〃You will cease to be a woman；
you will be a poet。〃
Moulins； Nevers； Bourges were searched to find Jan Diaz； but Dinah was
impenetrable。 To remove any evil impression； in case any unforeseen
chance should betray her name； she wrote a charming poem in two cantos
on /The Mass…Oak/； a legend of the Nivernais：
〃Once upon a time the folks of Nevers and the folks of Saint…Saulge；
at war with each other； came at daybreak to fight a battle； in which
one or other should perish； and met in the forest of Faye。 And then
there stood between them； under an oak； a priest whose aspect in the
morning sun was so commanding that the foes at his bidding heard Mass
as he performed it under the oak； and at the words of the Gospel they
made friends。〃The oak is still shown in the forest of Faye。
This poem； immeasurably superior to /Paquita la Sevillane/； was far
less admired。
After these two attempts Madame de la Baudraye； feeling herself a
poet； had a light on her brow and a flash in her eyes that made her
handsomer than ever。 She cast longing looks at Paris； aspiring to fame
and fell back into her den of La Baudraye； her daily squabbles with
her husband； and her little circle； where everybody's character；
intentions； and remarks were too well known not to have become a bore。
Though she found relief from her dreary life in literary work； and
poetry echoed loudly in her empty life； though she thus found an
outlet for her energies； literature increased her hatred of the gray
and ponderous provincial atmosphere。
When； after the Revolution of 1830； the glory of George Sand was
reflected on Le Berry； many a town envied La Chatre the privilege of
having given birth to this rival of Madame de Stael and Camille
Maupin； and were ready to do homage to minor feminine talent。 Thus
there arose in France a vast number of tenth Muses； young girls or
young wives tempted from a silent life by the bait of glory。 Very
strange doctrines were proclaimed as to the part women should play in
society。 Though the sound common sense which lies at the root of the
French nature was not perverted； women were suffered to express ideas
and profess opinions which they would not have owned to a few years
previously。
Monsieur de Clagny took advantage of this outbreak of freedom to
collect the works of Jan Diaz in a small volume printed by Desroziers
at Moulins。 He wrote a little notice of the author； too early snatched
from the world of letters； which was amusing to those who were in the
secret； but which even then had not the merit of novelty。 Such
practical jokes； capital so long as the author remains unknown； fall
rather flat if subsequently the poet stands confessed。
From this point of view； however； the memoir of Jan Diaz； born at
Bourges in 1807； the son of a Spanish prisoner； may very likely some
day deceive the compiler of some /Universal Biography/。 Nothing is
overlooked； neither the names of the professors at the Bourges
College； nor those of his deceased schoolfellows； such as Lousteau；
Bianchon； and other famous natives of the province； who； it is said；
knew the dreamy； melancholy boy； and his precocious bent towards
poetry。 An elegy called /Tristesse/ （Melancholy）； written at school；
the two poems /Paquita la Sevillane/ and /Le Chene de la Messe/； three
sonnets； a description of the Cathedral and the House of Jacques Coeur
at Bourges； with a tale called /Carola/； published as the work he was
engaged on at the time of his death； constituted the whole of these
literary remains； and the poet's last hours； full of misery and
despair； could not fail to wring the hearts of the feeling public of
the Nievre； the Bourbonnais； the Cher； and the Morvan； where he died
near Chateau…Chinon； unknown to all； even to the woman he had loved！
Of this little yellow paper volume two hundred copies were printed；
one hundred and fifty were soldabout fifty in each department。 This
average of tender and poetic souls in three departments of France is
enough to revive the enthusiasm of writers as to the /Furia Francese/；
which nowadays is more apt to expend itself in business than in books。
When Monsieur de Clagny had given away a certain number of copies；
Dinah still had seven or eight； wrapped up in the newspapers which had
published notices of the work。 Twenty copies forwarded to the Paris
papers were swamped in the editors' offices。 Nathan was taken in as
well as several of his fellow…countrymen of Le Berry； and wrote an
article on the great man； in which he credited him with all the fine
qualities we discover in those who are dead and buried。
Lousteau； warned by his fellow…schoolfellows； who could not remember
Jan Diaz； waited for information from Sancerre； and learned that Jan
Diaz was a pseudonym