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varied by solemn walks on the Mall； visits of politeness among the
women； who ask each other where they bought their gowns。
〃Conversation is bounded on the south by remarks on the intrigues
lying hidden under the stagnant water of provincial life； on the north
by proposed marriages； on the west by jealousies； and on the east by
sour remarks。
〃And so；〃 she went on； striking an attitude； 〃you see a woman wrinkled
at nine…and…twenty； ten years before the time fixed by the rules of
Doctor Bianchon； a woman whose skin is ruined at an early age； who
turns as yellow as a quince when she is yellow at allwe have seen
some turn green。 When we have reached that point； we try to justify
our normal condition； then we turn and rend the terrible passion of
Paris with teeth as sharp as rat's teeth。 We have Puritan women here；
sour enough to tear the laces of Parisian finery； and eat out all the
poetry of your Parisian beauties； who undermine the happiness of
others while they cry up their walnuts and rancid bacon； glorify this
squalid mouse…hole； and the dingy color and conventual small of our
delightful life at Sancerre。〃
〃I admire such courage； madame；〃 said Bianchon。 〃When we have to
endure such misfortunes； it is well to have the wit to make a virtue
of necessity。〃
Amazed at the brilliant move by which Dinah thus placed provincial
life at the mercy of her guests； in anticipation of their sarcasms；
Gatien Boirouge nudged Lousteau's elbow； with a glance and a smile；
which said：
〃Well！ did I say too much？〃
〃But； madame；〃 said Lousteau； 〃you are proving that we are still in
Paris。 I shall steal this gem of description； it will be worth ten
thousand francs to me in an article。〃
〃Oh； monsieur；〃 she retorted； 〃never trust provincial women。〃
〃And why not？〃 said Lousteau。
Madame de la Baudraye was wily enoughan innocent form of cunning； to
be sureto show the two Parisians； one of whom she would choose to be
her conquerer； the snare into which he would fall； reflecting that she
would have the upper hand at the moment when he should cease to see
it。
〃When you first come；〃 said she； 〃you laugh at us。 Then when you have
forgotten the impression of Paris brilliancy； and see us in our own
sphere； you pay court to us； if only as a pastime。 And you； who are
famous for your past passions； will be the object of attentions which
will flatter you。 Then take care！〃 cried Dinah； with a coquettish
gesture； raising herself above provincial absurdities and Lousteau's
irony by her own sarcastic speech。 〃When a poor little country…bred
woman has an eccentric passion for some superior man； some Parisian
who has wandered into the provinces； it is to her something more than
a sentiment； she makes it her occupation and part of all her life。
There is nothing more dangerous than the attachment of such a woman；
she compares； she studies； she reflects； she dreams； and she will not
give up her dream； she thinks still of the man she loves when he has
ceased to think of her。
〃Now one of the catastrophes that weigh most heavily on a woman in the
provinces is that abrupt termination of her passion which is so often
seen in England。 In the country； a life under minute observation as
keen as an Indian's compels a woman either to keep on the rails or to
start aside like a steam engine wrecked by an obstacle。 The strategies
of love； the coquetting which form half the composition of a Parisian
woman； are utterly unknown here。〃
〃That is true；〃 said Lousteau。 〃There is in a country…bred woman's
heart a store of surprises； as in some toys。〃
〃Dear me！〃 Dinah went on； 〃a woman will have spoken to you three times
in the course of a winter； and without your knowing it； you will be
lodged in her heart。 Then comes a picnic； an excursion； what not； and
all is saidor； if you prefer it； all is done！ This conduct； which
seems odd to unobserving persons； is really very natural。 A poet； such
as you are； or a philosopher； an observer； like Doctor Bianchon；
instead of vilifying the provincial woman and believing her depraved；
would be able to guess the wonderful unrevealed poetry； every chapter；
in short； of the sweet romance of which the last phrase falls to the
benefit of some happy sub…lieutenant or some provincial bigwig。〃
〃The provincial women I have met in Paris；〃 said Lousteau； 〃were； in
fact； rapid in their proceedings〃
〃My word； they are strange；〃 said the lady； giving a significant shrug
of her shoulders。
〃They are like the playgoers who book for the second performance；
feeling sure that the piece will not fail；〃 replied the journalist。
〃And what is the cause of all these woes？〃 asked Bianchon。
〃Paris is the monster that brings us grief；〃 replied the Superior
Woman。 〃The evil is seven leagues round； and devastates the whole
land。 Provincial life is not self…existent。 It is only when a nation
is divided into fifty minor states that each can have a physiognomy of
its own； and then a woman reflects the glory of the sphere where she
reigns。 This social phenomenon； I am told； may be seen in Italy；
Switzerland； and Germany； but in France； as in every country where
there is but one capital； a dead level of manners must necessarily
result from centralization。〃
〃Then you would say that manners could only recover their
individuality and native distinction by the formation of a federation
of French states into one empire？〃 said Lousteau。
〃That is hardly to be wished； for France would have to conquer too
many countries；〃 said Bianchon。
〃This misfortune is unknown in England；〃 exclaimed Dinah。 〃London does
not exert such tyranny as that by which Paris oppresses Francefor
which； indeed； French ingenuity will at last find a remedy； however；
it has a worse disease in its vile hypocrisy； which is a far greater
evil！〃
〃The English aristocracy；〃 said Lousteau； hastening to put a word in；
for he foresaw a Byronic paragraph； 〃has the advantage over ours of
assimilating every form of superiority； it lives in the midst of
magnificent parks； it is in London for no more than two months。 It
lives in the country； flourishing there； and making it flourish。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Madame de la Baudraye； 〃London is the capital of trade and
speculation and the centre of government。 The aristocracy hold a
'mote' there for sixty days only； it gives and takes the passwords of
the day； looks in on the legislative cookery； reviews the girls to
marry； the carriages to be sold； exchanges greetings； and is away
again； and is so far from amusing； that it cannot bear itself for more
than the few days known as 'the season。' 〃
〃Hence；〃 said Lousteau； hoping to stop this nimble tongue by an
epigram； 〃in Perfidious Albion； as the /Constitutionnel/ has it； you
may happen to meet a charming woman in any part of the kingdom。〃
〃But charming /English/ women！〃 replied Madame de la Baudraye with a
smile。 〃Here is my mother； I will introduce you；〃 said she； seeing
Madame Piedefer coming towards them。
Having introduced the two Paris lions to the ambitious skeleton that
called itself woman under the name of Madame Piedefera tall； lean
personage； with a red face； teeth that were doubtfully genuin