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bear your name？ The last chapter of the romance。Your child will be
taken from you！ We have seen that story in twenty plays these ten
years past。
〃Society； my dear boy； will drop upon you sooner or later。 Read
/Adolphe/ once more。Dear me！ I fancy I can see you when you and she
are used to each other；I see you dejected； hang…dog； bereft of
position and fortune； and fighting like the shareholders of a bogus
company when they are tricked by a director！Your director is
happiness。〃
〃Say no more； Bixiou。〃
〃But I have only just begun；〃 said Bixiou。 〃Listen； my dear boy。
Marriage has been out of favor for some time past； but； apart from the
advantages it offers in being the only recognized way of certifying
heredity； as it affords a good…looking young man； though penniless；
the opportunity of making his fortune in two months； it survives in
spite of disadvantages。 And there is not the man living who would not
repent； sooner or later； of having； by his own fault； lost the chance
of marrying thirty thousand francs a year。〃
〃You won't understand me；〃 cried Lousteau； in a voice of exasperation。
〃Go awayshe is there〃
〃I beg your pardon； why did you not tell me sooner？You are of age；
and so is she；〃 he added in a lower voice； but loud enough to be heard
by Dinah。 〃She will make you repent bitterly of your happiness！〃
〃If it is a folly； I intend to commit it。Good…bye。〃
〃A man gone overboard！〃 cried Bixiou。
〃Devil take those friends who think they have a right to preach to
you；〃 said Lousteau； opening the door of the bedroom； where he found
Madame de la Baudraye sunk in an armchair and dabbing her eyes with an
embroidered handkerchief。
〃Oh； why did I come here？〃 sobbed she。 〃Good Heavens； why indeed？
Etienne； I am not so provincial as you think me。You are making a
fool of me。〃
〃Darling angel；〃 replied Lousteau； taking Dinah in his arms； lifting
her from her chair； and dragging her half dead into the drawing…room；
〃we have both pledged our future； it is sacrifice for sacrifice。 While
I was loving you at Sancerre； they were engaging me to be married
here； but I refused。Oh！ I was extremely distressed〃
〃I am going；〃 cried Dinah； starting wildly to her feet and turning to
the door。
〃You will stay here； my Didine。 All is at an end。 And is this fortune
so lightly earned after all？ Must I not marry a gawky； tow…haired
creature； with a red nose； the daughter of a notary； and saddle myself
with a stepmother who could give Madame de Piedefer points on the
score of bigotry〃
Pamela flew in； and whispered in Lousteau's ear：
〃Madame Schontz！〃
Lousteau rose； leaving Dinah on the sofa； and went out。
〃It is all over with you； my dear；〃 said the woman。 〃Cardot does not
mean to quarrel with his wife for the sake of a son…in…law。 The lady
made a scenesomething like a scene； I can tell you！ So； to conclude；
the head…clerk； who was the late head…clerk's deputy for two years；
agrees to take the girl with the business。〃
〃Mean wretch！〃 exclaimed Lousteau。 〃What！ in two hours he has made up
his mind？〃
〃Bless me； that is simple enough。 The rascal； who knew all the dead
man's little secrets； guessed what a fix his master was in from
overhearing a few words of the squabble with Madame Cardot。 The notary
relies on your honor and good feeling； for the affair is settled。 The
clerk； whose conduct has been admirable； went so far as to attend
mass！ A finished hypocrite； I sayjust suits the mamma。 You and
Cardot will still be friends。 He is to be a director in an immense
financial concern； and he may be of use to you。So you have been
waked from a sweet dream。〃
〃I have lost a fortune； a wife； and〃
〃And a mistress；〃 said Madame Schontz； smiling。 〃Here you are； more
than married； you will be insufferable； you will be always wanting to
get home； there will be nothing loose about you； neither your clothes
nor your habits。 And； after all； my Arthur does things in style。 I
will be faithful to him and cut Malaga's acquaintance。
〃Let me peep at her through the dooryour Sancerre Muse；〃 she went
on。 〃Is there no finer bird than that to be found in the desert？〃 she
exclaimed。 〃You are cheated！ She is dignified； lean； lachrymose； she
only needs Lady Dudley's turban！〃
〃What is it now？〃 asked Madame de la Baudraye； who had heard the
rustle of a silk dress and the murmur of a woman's voice。
〃It is； my darling； that we are now indissolubly united。I have just
had an answer to the letter you saw me write； which was to break off
my marriage〃
〃So that was the party which you gave up？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Oh； I will be more than your wifeI am your slave； I give you my
life；〃 said the poor deluded creature。 〃I did not believe I could love
you more than I did！Now I shall not be a mere incident； but your
whole life？〃
〃Yes； my beautiful； my generous Didine。〃
〃Swear to me；〃 said she； 〃that only death shall divide us。〃
Lousteau was ready to sweeten his vows with the most fascinating
prettinesses。 And this was why。 Between the door of the apartment
where he had taken the lorette's farewell kiss； and that of the
drawing…room； where the Muse was reclining； bewildered by such a
succession of shocks； Lousteau had remembered little De la Baudraye's
precarious health； his fine fortune； and Bianchon's remark about
Dinah； 〃She will be a rich widow！〃 and he said to himself； 〃I would a
hundred times rather have Madame de la Baudraye for a wife than
Felicie！〃
His plan of action was quickly decided on； he determined to play the
farce of passion once more； and to perfection。 His mean self…
interestedness and his false vehemence of passion had disastrous
results。 Madame de la Baudraye； when she set out from Sancerre for
Paris； had intended to live in rooms of her own quite near to
Lousteau； but the proofs of devotion her lover had given her by giving
up such brilliant prospects； and yet more the perfect happiness of the
first days of their illicit union； kept her from mentioning such a
parting。 The second day was to beand indeed wasa high festival； in
which such a suggestion proposed to 〃her angel〃 would have been a
discordant note。
Lousteau； on his part； anxious to make Dinah feel herself dependent on
him； kept her in a state of constant intoxication by incessant
amusement。 These circumstances hindered two persons so clever as these
were from avoiding the slough into which they fellthat of a life in
common； a piece of folly of which； unfortunately； many instances may
be seen in Paris in literary circles。
And thus was the whole programme played out of a provincial amour； so
satirically described by Lousteau to Madame de la Baudrayea fact
which neither he nor she remembered。 Passion is born a deaf…mute。
This winter in Paris was to Madame de la Baudraye all that the month
of October had been at Sancerre。 Etienne； to initiate 〃his wife〃 into
Paris life； varied this honeymoon by evenings at the play； where Dinah
would only go to the stage box。 At first Madame de la Baudraye
preserved some remnants of her countrified modesty； she was afraid of
being seen； she hid her happiness。 She would say：
〃Monsieur de Clagny or Monsieur Gravier may have followed me