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last on her dear Abbe。
This bold manoeuvre； a device of the Sous…prefet's； was repeated with
so much skill that Dinah never suspected her slaves of escaping to the
prison yard； so to speak； of the cardtable； and they would leave her
one of the younger functionaries to harry。
One young landowner； and the dandy of Sancerre； fell away from Dinah's
good graces in consequence of some rash demonstrations。 After
soliciting the honor of admission to this little circle； where he
flattered himself he could snatch the blossom from the constituted
authorities who guarded it； he was so unfortunate as to yawn in the
middle of an explanation Dinah was favoring him withfor the fourth
time； it is trueof the philosophy of Kant。 Monsieur de la
Thaumassiere； the grandson of the historian of Le Berry； was
thenceforth regarded as a man entirely bereft of soul and brains。
The three devotees /en titre/ each submitted to these exorbitant
demands on their mind and attention； in hope of a crowning triumph；
when at last Dinah should become human； for neither of them was so
bold as to imagine that Dinah would give up her innocence as a wife
till she should have lost all her illusions。 In 1826； when she was
surrounded by adorers； Dinah completed her twentieth year； and the
Abbe Duret kept her in a sort of fervid Catholicism； so her worshipers
had to be content to overwhelm her with little attentions and small
services； only too happy to be taken for the carpet…knights of this
sovereign lady； by strangers admitted to spend an evening or two at La
Baudraye。
〃Madame de la Baudraye is a fruit that must be left to ripen。〃 This
was the opinion of Monsieur Gravier； who was waiting。
As to the lawyer； he wrote letters four pages long； to which Dinah
replied in soothing speech as she walked； leaning on his arm； round
and round the lawn after dinner。
Madame de la Baudraye； thus guarded by three passions； and always
under the eye of her pious mother； escaped the malignity of slander。
It was so evident to all Sancerre that no two of these three men would
ever leave the third alone with Madame de la Baudraye； that their
jealousy was a comedy to the lookers…on。
To reach Saint…Thibault from Caesar's Gate there is a way much shorter
than that by the ramparts； down what is known in mountainous districts
as a /coursiere/； called at Sancerre /le Casse…cou/； or Break…neck
Alley。 The name is significant as applied to a path down the steepest
part of the hillside； thickly strewn with stones； and shut in by the
high banks of the vineyards on each side。 By way of the Break…neck the
distance from Sancerre to La Baudraye is much abridged。 The ladies of
the place； jealous of the Sappho of Saint…Satur； were wont to walk on
the Mall； looking down this Longchamp of the bigwigs； whom they would
stop and engage in conversationsometimes the Sous…prefet and
sometimes the Public Prosecutorand who would listen with every sign
of impatience or uncivil absence of mind。 As the turrets of La
Baudraye are visible from the Mall； many a younger man came to
contemplate the abode of Dinah while envying the ten or twelve
privileged persons who might spend their afternoons with the Queen of
the neighborhood。
Monsieur de la Baudraye was not slow to discover the advantage he； as
Dinah's husband； held over his wife's adorers； and he made use of
them without any disguise； obtaining a remission of taxes； and gaining
two lawsuits。 In every litigation he used the Public Prosecutor's name
with such good effect that the matter was carried no further； and；
like all undersized men； he was contentious and litigious in business；
though in the gentlest manner。
At the same time； the more certainly guiltless she was； the less
conceivable did Madame de la Baudraye's position seem to the prying
eyes of these women。 Frequently； at the house of the Presidente de
Boirouge； the ladies of a certain age would spend a whole evening
discussing the La Baudraye household； among themselves of course。 They
all had suspicions of a mystery； a secret such as always interests
women who have had some experience of life。 And； in fact； at La
Baudraye one of those slow and monotonous conjugal tragedies was being
played out which would have remained for ever unknown if the merciless
scalpel of the nineteenth century； guided by the insistent demand for
novelty； had not dissected the darkest corners of the heart； or at any
rate those which the decency of past centuries left unopened。 And that
domestic drama sufficiently accounts for Dinah's immaculate virtue
during her early married life。
A young lady； whose triumphs at school had been the outcome of her
pride； and whose first scheme in life had been rewarded by a victory；
was not likely to pause in such a brilliant career。 Frail as Monsieur
de la Baudraye might seem； he was really an unhoped…for good match for
Mademoiselle Dinah Piedefer。 But what was the hidden motive of this
country landowner when； at forty…four； he married a girl of seventeen；
and what could his wife make out of the bargain？ This was the text of
Dinah's first meditations。
The little man never behaved quite as his wife expected。 To begin
with； he allowed her to take the five precious acres now wasted in
pleasure grounds round La Baudraye； and paid； almost with generosity；
the seven or eight thousand francs required by Dinah for improvements
in the house； enabling her to buy the furniture at the Rougets' sale
at Issoudun； and to redecorate her rooms in various stylesMediaeval；
Louis XIV。； and Pompadour。 The young wife found it difficult to
believe that Monsieur de la Baudraye was so miserly as he was reputed；
or else she must have great influence with him。 The illusion lasted a
year and a half。
After Monsieur de la Baudraye's second journey to Paris； Dinah
discovered in him the Artic coldness of a provincial miser whenever
money was in question。 The first time she asked for supplies she
played the sweetest of the comedies of which Eve invented the secret；
but the little man put it plainly to his wife that he gave her two
hundred francs a month for her personal expenses； and paid Madame
Piedefer twelve hundred francs a year as a charge on the lands of La
Hautoy； and that this was two hundred francs a year more than was
agreed to under the marriage settlement。
〃I say nothing of the cost of housekeeping；〃 he said in conclusion。
〃You may give your friends cake and tea in the evening； for you must
have some amusement。 But I； who spent but fifteen hundred francs a
year as a bachelor； now spend six thousand； including rates and
repairs； and this is rather too much in relation to the nature of our
property。 A winegrower is never sure of what his expenses may bethe
making； the duty； the caskswhile the returns depend on a scorching
day or a sudden frost。 Small owners； like us； whose income is far from
being fixed； must base their estimates on their minimum； for they have
no means of making up a deficit or a loss。 What would become of us if
a wine merchant became bankrupt？ In my opinion； promissory notes are
so many cabbage…leaves。 To live as we are living； we ought always to
have a year's income in