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reason I readily agreed to be little Polydore's godfather； and he is
registered as the son of the Baron and Baronne de la Baudraye； if you
have the feelings of a father； you ought to rejoice in knowing that
the child is heir to one of the finest entailed estates in France。〃
〃And pray； sir； is the mother to die of hunger？〃
〃Be quite easy；〃 said the lawyer bitterly； having dragged from
Lousteau the expression of feeling he had so long been expecting。 〃I
will undertake to transact the matter with Monsieur de la Baudraye。〃
Monsieur de Clagny left the house with a chill at his heart。
Dinah； his idol； was loved for her money。 Would she not； when too
late； have her eyes opened？
〃Poor woman！〃 said the lawyer； as he walked away。 And this justice we
will do himfor to whom should justice be done unless to a Judge？he
loved Dinah too sincerely to regard her degradation as a means of
triumph one day； he was all pity and devotion； he really loved her。
The care and nursing of the infant； its cries； the quiet needed for
the mother during the first few days； and the ubiquity of Madame
Piedefer； were so entirely adverse to literary labors； that Lousteau
moved up to the three rooms taken on the first floor for the old
bigot。 The journalist； obliged to go to the first performances without
Dinah； and living apart from her； found an indescribable charm in the
use of his liberty。 More than once he submitted to be taken by the arm
and dragged off to some jollification； more than once he found himself
at the house of a friend's mistress in the heart of bohemia。 He again
saw women brilliantly young and splendidly dressed； in whom economy
seemed treason to their youth and power。 Dinah； in spite of her
striking beauty； after nursing her baby for three months； could not
stand comparison with these perishable blossoms； so soon faded； but so
showy as long as they live rooted in opulence。
Home life had； nevertheless； a strong attraction for Etienne。 In three
months the mother and daughter； with the help of the cook from
Sancerre and of little Pamela； had given the apartment a quite changed
appearance。 The journalist found his breakfast and his dinner served
with a sort of luxury。 Dinah； handsome and nicely dressed； was careful
to anticipate her dear Etienne's wishes； and he felt himself the king
of his home； where everything； even the baby； was subject to his
selfishness。 Dinah's affection was to be seen in every trifle；
Lousteau could not possibly cease the entrancing deceptions of his
unreal passion。
Dinah； meanwhile； was aware of a source of ruin； both to her love and
to the household； in the kind of life into which Lousteau had allowed
himself to drift。 At the end of ten months she weaned her baby；
installed her mother in the upstairs rooms； and restored the family
intimacy which indissolubly links a man and woman when the woman is
loving and clever。 One of the most striking circumstances in Benjamin
Constant's novel； one of the explanations of Ellenore's desertion； is
the want of dailyor； if you will； of nightlyintercourse between
her and Adolphe。 Each of the lovers has a separate home； they have
both submitted to the world and saved appearances。 Ellenore；
repeatedly left to herself； is compelled to vast labors of affection
to expel the thoughts of release which captivate Adolphe when absent。
The constant exchange of glances and thoughts in domestic life gives a
woman such power that a man needs stronger reasons for desertion than
she will ever give him so long as she loves him。
This was an entirely new phase both to Etienne and to Dinah。 Dinah
intended to be indispensable； she wanted to infuse fresh energy into
this man； whose weakness smiled upon her； for she thought it a
security。 She found him subjects； sketched the treatment； and at a
pinch； would write whole chapters。 She revived the vitality of this
dying talent by transfusing fresh blood into his veins； she supplied
him with ideas and opinions。 In short； she produced two books which
were a success。 More than once she saved Lousteau's self…esteem by
dictating； correcting； or finishing his articles when he was in
despair at his own lack of ideas。 The secret of this collaboration was
strictly preserved； Madame Piedefer knew nothing of it。
This mental galvanism was rewarded by improved pay； enabling them to
live comfortably till the end of 1838。 Lousteau became used to seeing
Dinah do his work； and he paid heras the French people say in their
vigorous lingoin 〃monkey money；〃 nothing for her pains。 This
expenditure in self…sacrifice becomes a treasure which generous souls
prize； and the more she gave the more she loved Lousteau； the time
soon came when Dinah felt that it would be too bitter a grief ever to
give him up。
But then another child was coming； and this year was a terrible trial。
In spite of the precautions of the two women； Etienne contracted
debts； he worked himself to death to pay them off while Dinah was laid
up； and； knowing him as she did； she thought him heroic。 But after
this effort； appalled at having two women； two children； and two maids
on his hands； he was incapable of the struggle to maintain a family by
his pen when he had failed to maintain even himself。 So he let things
take their chance。 Then the ruthless speculator exaggerated the farce
of love…making at home to secure greater liberty abroad。
Dinah proudly endured the burden of life without support。 The one
idea； 〃He loves me！〃 gave her superhuman strength。 She worked as hard
as the most energetic spirits of our time。 At the risk of her beauty
and health； Didine was to Lousteau what Mademoiselle Delachaux was to
Gardane in Diderot's noble and true tale。 But while sacrificing
herself； she committed the magnanimous blunder of sacrificing dress。
She had her gowns dyed； and wore nothing but black。 She stank of
black； as Malaga said； making fun mercilessly of Lousteau。
By the end of 1839； Etienne； following the example of Louis XV。； had；
by dint of gradual capitulations of conscience； come to the point of
establishing a distinction between his own money and the housekeeping
money； just as Louis XV。 drew the line between his privy purse and the
public moneys。 He deceived Dinah as to his earnings。 On discovering
this baseness； Madame de la Baudraye went through fearful tortures of
jealousy。 She wanted to live two livesthe life of the world and the
life of a literary woman； she accompanied Lousteau to every first…
night performance； and could detect in him many impulses of wounded
vanity； for her black attire rubbed off； as it were； on him； clouding
his brow； and sometimes leading him to be quite brutal。 He was really
the woman of the two； and he had all a woman's exacting perversity； he
would reproach Dinah for the dowdiness of her appearance； even while
benefiting by the sacrifice； which to a mistress is so cruelexactly
like a woman who； after sending a man through a gutter to save her
honor； tells him she 〃cannot bear dirt！〃 when he comes out。
Dinah then found herself obliged to gather up the rather loose reins
of power by which a clever woman drives a man devoid of will。 But in
so doing she cou