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divine； called into existence by you。
〃 'Alas！ with you I can never play the coquette。 I am like a
mother with her child； I endure anything from you； I； that was
once so imperious and proud。 I have made dukes and princes fetch
and carry for me； aides…de…camp； worth more than all the court of
Charles X。 put together； have done my errands； yet I am treating
you as my spoilt child。 But where is the use of coquetry？ It would
be pure waste。 And yet； monsieur； for want of coquetry I shall
never inspire love in you。 I know it； I feel it； yet I do as
before； feeling a power that I cannot withstand； thinking that
this utter self…surrender will win me the sentiment innate in all
men （so /he/ tells me） for the thing that belongs to them。
〃/Wednesday/。
〃 'Ah！ how darkly sadness entered my heart yesterday when I found
that I must give up the joy of seeing you。 One single thought held
me back from the arms of Death！It was thy will！ To stay away was
to do thy will； to obey an order from thee。 Oh！ Charles； I was so
pretty； I looked a lovelier woman for you than that beautiful
German princess whom you gave me for an example； whom I have
studied at the Opera。 And yetyou might have thought that I had
overstepped the limits of my nature。 You have left me no
confidence in myself； perhaps I am plain after all。 Oh！ I loathe
myself； I dream of my radiant Charles Edward； and my brain turns。
I shall go mad； I know I shall。 Do not laugh； do not talk to me of
the fickleness of women。 If we are inconstant； /you/ are strangely
capricious。 You take away the hours of love that made a poor
creature's happiness for ten whole days； the hours on which she
drew to be charming and kind to all that came to see her！ After
all； you were the source of my kindness to /him/； you do not know
what pain you give him。 I wonder what I must do to keep you； or
simply to keep the right to be yours sometimes。 。 。 。 When I think
that you never would come here to me！ 。 。 。 With what delicious
emotion I would wait upon you！There are other women more favored
than I。 There are women to whom you say； 'I love you。' To me you
have never said more than 'You are a good girl。' Certain speeches
of yours； though you do not know it； gnaw at my heart。 Clever men
sometimes ask me what I am thinking。 。 。 。 I am thinking of my
self…abasementthe prostration of the poorest outcast in the
presence of the Saviour。
〃There are still three more pages； you see。 La Palferine allowed me to
take the letter； with the traces of tears that still seemed hot upon
it！ Here was proof of the truth of his story。 Marcas； a shy man enough
with women； was in ecstacies over a second which he read in his corner
before lighting his pipe with it。
〃 'Why； any woman in love will write that sort of thing！' cried La
Palferine。 'Love gives all women intelligence and style； which proves
that here in France style proceeds from the matter and not from the
words。 See now how well this is thought out； how clear…headed
sentiment is'and with that he reads us another letter； far superior
to the artificial and labored productions which we novelists write。
〃One day poor Claudine heard that La Palferine was in a critical
position； it was a question of meeting a bill of exchange。 An unlucky
idea occurred to her； she put a tolerably large sum in gold into an
exquisitely embroidered purse and went to him。
〃 'Who has taught you as to be so bold as to meddle with my household
affairs？' La Palferine cried angrily。 'Mend my socks and work slippers
for me； if it amuses you。 So！you will play the duchess； and you turn
the story of Danae against the aristocracy。'
〃He emptied the purse into his hand as he spoke； and made as though he
would fling the money in her face。 Claudine； in her terror； did not
guess that he was joking； she shrank back； stumbled over a chair； and
fell with her head against the corner of the marble chimney…piece。 She
thought she should have died。 When she could speak； poor woman； as she
lay on the bed； all that she said was； 'I deserved it； Charles！'
〃For a moment La Palferine was in despair； his anguish revived
Claudine。 She rejoiced in the mishap； she took advantage of her
suffering to compel La Palferine to take the money and release him
from an awkward position。 Then followed a variation on La Fontaine's
fable； in which a man blesses the thieves that brought him a sudden
impulse of tenderness from his wife。 And while we are upon this
subject； another saying will paint the man for you。
〃Claudine went home again； made up some kind of tale as best she could
to account for her bruised forehead； and fell dangerously ill。 An
abscess formed in the head。 The doctorBianchon； I believeyes； it
was Bianchonwanted to cut off her hair。 The Duchesse de Berri's hair
is not more beautiful than Claudine's； she would not hear of it； she
told Bianchon in confidence that she could not allow it to be cut
without leave from the Comte de Palferine。 Bianchon went to Charles
Edward。 Charles Edward heard him with much seriousness。 The doctor had
explained the case at length； and showed that it was absolutely
necessary to sacrifice the hair to insure the success of the
operation。
〃 'Cut off Claudine's hair！' cried he in peremptory tones。 'No。 I
would sooner lose her。'
〃Even now； after a lapse of four years； Bianchon still quotes that
speech； we have laughed over it for half an hour together。 Claudine；
informed of the verdict； saw in it a proof of affections； she felt
sure that she was loved。 In the face of her weeping family； with her
husband on his knees； she was inexorable。 She kept the hair。 The
strength that came with the belief that she was loved came to her aid；
the operation succeeded perfectly。 There are stirrings of the inner
life which throw all the calculations of surgery into disorder and
baffle the laws of medical science。
〃Claudine wrote a delicious letter to La Palferine； a letter in which
the orthography was doubtful and the punctuation all to seek； to tell
him of the happy result of the operation； and to add that Love was
wiser than all the sciences。
〃 'Now；' said La Palferine one day； 'what am I to do to get rid of
Claudine？'
〃 'Why； she is not at all troublesome； she leaves you master of your
actions；' objected we。
〃 'That is true；' returned La Palferine； 'but I do not choose that
anything shall slip into my life without my consent。'
〃From that day he set himself to torment Claudine。 It seemed that he
held the bourgeoise； the nobody； in utter horror； nothing would
satisfy him but a woman with a title。 Claudine； it was true； had made
progress； she had learned to dress as well as the best…dressed woman
of the Faubourg Saint…Germain； she had freed her bearing of the
unhallowed traces； she walked with a chastened； inimitable grace； but
this was not enough。 This praise of her enabled Claudine to swallow
down the rest。
〃But one day La Palferine said； 'If you wish to be the mistress of one
La Palferine； poor； penniless； and without prospects as he is； you
ought at least to represent him worthily。 You should have a carriag