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head。 Honorine was nursed as she would have been in her own home。
When； on her recovery； she asked how and by whom she had been
assisted； she was told〃By the Sisters of Charity in the neighborhood
by the Maternity Societyby the parish priest； who took an interest
in her。〃
〃 'This woman； whose pride amounts to a vice； has shown a power of
resistance in misfortune； which on some evenings I call the obstinacy
of a mule。 Honorine was bent on earning her living。 My wife works！ For
five years past I have lodged her in the Rue Saint…Maur； in a charming
little house； where she makes artificial flowers and articles of
fashion。 She believes that she sells the product of her elegant
fancywork to a shop； where she is so well paid that she makes twenty
francs a day； and in these six years she had never had a moment's
suspicion。 She pays for everything she needs at about the third of its
value； so that on six thousand francs a year she lives as if she had
fifteen thousand。 She is devoted to flowers； and pays a hundred crowns
to a gardener； who costs me twelve hundred in wages； and sends me in a
bill for two thousand francs every three months。 I have promised the
man a market…garden with a house on it close to the porter's lodge in
the Rue Saint…Maur。 I hold this ground in the name of a clerk of the
law courts。 The smallest indiscretion would ruin the gardener's
prospects。 Honorine has her little house； a garden； and a splendid
hothouse； for a rent of five hundred francs a year。 There she lives
under the name of her housekeeper； Madame Gobain； the old woman of
impeccable discretion whom I was so lucky as to find； and whose
affection Honorine has won。 But her zeal； like that of the gardener；
is kept hot by the promise of reward at the moment of success。 The
porter and his wife cost me dreadfully dear for the same reasons。
However； for three years Honorine has been happy； believing that she
owes to her own toil all the luxury of flowers； dress； and comfort。
〃 'Oh！ I know what you are about to say；' cried the Count； seeing a
question in my eyes and on my lips。 'Yes； yes； I have made the
attempt。 My wife was formerly living in the Faubourg Saint…Antoine。
One day when； from what Gobain told me； I believed in some chance of a
reconciliation； I wrote by post a letter； in which I tried to
propitiate my wifea letter written and re…written twenty times！ I
will not describe my agonies。 I went from the Rue Payenne to the Rue
de Reuilly like a condemned wretch going from the Palais de Justice to
his execution； but he goes on a cart； and I was on foot。 It was dark
there was a fog； I went to meet Madame Gobain； who was to come and
tell me what my wife had done。 Honorine； on recognizing my writing；
had thrown the letter into the fire without reading it。〃Madame
Gobain；〃 she had exclaimed； 〃I leave this to…morrow。〃
〃 'What a dagger…stroke was this to a man who found inexhaustible
pleasure in the trickery by which he gets the finest Lyons velvet at
twelve francs a yard； a pheasant； a fish； a dish of fruit； for a tenth
of their value； for a woman so ignorant as to believe that she is
paying ample wages with two hundred and fifty francs to Madame Gobain；
a cook fit for a bishop。
〃 'You have sometimes found me rubbing my hands in the enjoyment of a
sort of happiness。 Well； I had just succeeded in some ruse worthy of
the stage。 I had just deceived my wifeI had sent her by a purchaser
of wardrobes an Indian shawl； to be offered to her as the property of
an actress who had hardly worn it； but in which Ithe solemn lawyer
whom you knowhad wrapped myself for a night！ In short； my life at
this day may be summed up in the two words which express the extremes
of tormentI love； and I wait！ I have in Madame Gobain a faithful spy
on the heart I worship。 I go every evening to chat with the old woman；
to hear from her all that Honorine has done during the day； the
lightest word she has spoken； for a single exclamation might betray to
me the secrets of that soul which is wilfully deaf and dumb。 Honorine
is pious； she attends the Church services and prays； but she has never
been to confession or taken the Communion； she foresees what a priest
would tell her。 She will not listen to the advice； to the injunction；
that she should return to me。 This horror of me overwhelms me； dismays
me； for I have never done her the smallest harm。 I have always been
kind to her。 Granting even that I may have been a little hasty when
teaching her； that my man's irony may have hurt her legitimate girlish
pride； is that a reason for persisting in a determination which only
the most implacable hatred could have inspired？ Honorine has never
told Madame Gobain who she is； she keeps absolute silence as to her
marriage； so that the worthy and respectable woman can never speak a
word in my favor； for she is the only person in the house who knows my
secret。 The others know nothing； they live under the awe caused by the
name of the Prefect of Police； and their respect for the power of a
Minister。 Hence it is impossible for me to penetrate that heart； the
citadel is mine； but I cannot get into it。 I have not a single means
of action。 An act of violence would ruin me for ever。
〃 'How can I argue against reasons of which I know nothing？ Should I
write a letter； and have it copied by a public writer； and laid before
Honorine？ But that would be to run the risk of a third removal。 The
last cost me fifty thousand francs。 The purchase was made in the first
instance in the name of the secretary whom you succeeded。 The unhappy
man； who did not know how lightly I sleep； was detected by me in the
act of opening a box in which I had put the private agreement； I
coughed； and he was seized with a panic； next day I compelled him to
sell the house to the man in whose name it now stands； and I turned
him out。
〃 'If it were not that I feel all my noblest faculties as a man
satisfied； happy； expansive； if the part I am playing were not that of
divine fatherhood； if I did not drink in delight by every pore； there
are moments when I should believe that I was a monomaniac。 Sometimes
at night I hear the jingling bells of madness。 I dread the violent
transitions from a feeble hope； which sometimes shines and flashes up；
to complete despair； falling as low as man can fall。 A few days since
I was seriously considering the horrible end of the story of Lovelace
and Clarissa Harlowe； and saying to myself； if Honorine were the
mother of a child of mine； must she not necessarily return under her
husband's roof？
〃 'And I have such complete faith in a happy future； that ten months
ago I bought and paid for one of the handsomest houses in the Faubourg
Saint…Honore。 If I win back Honorine； I will not allow her to see this
house again； nor the room from which she fled。 I mean to place my idol
in a new temple； where she may feel that life is altogether new。 That
house is being made a marvel of elegance and taste。 I have been told
of a poet who； being almost mad with love for an actress； bought the
handsomest bed in Paris without knowing how the actress would reward
his passion。 Well； one of the coldest of lawyers； a man who is
su