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pleasure； and make the most adorable wives that could be wished； they
have nothing to learn； they are formed； they are not in the least
prudish； they are well broken in； and indulgent。 So I strongly
recommend everybody to take the 〃remains of a racer。〃 I am the most
fortunate man on earth。'
〃Du Bruel said this to me himself with Bixiou there to hear it。
〃 'My dear fellow；' said the caricaturist； 'perhaps he is right to be
in the wrong。'
〃About a week afterwards； du Bruel asked us to dine with him one
Tuesday。 That morning I went to see him on a piece of theatrical
business； a case submitted to us for arbitration by the commission of
dramatic authors。 We were obliged to go out again； but before we
started he went to Claudine's room； knocked； as he always does； and
asked for leave to enter。
〃 'We live in grand style；' said he； smiling； 'we are free。 Each is
independent。'
〃We were admitted。 Du Bruel spoke to Claudine。 'I have asked a few
people to dinner to…day〃
〃 'Just like you！' cried she。 'You ask people without speaking to me；
I count for nothing here。Now' （taking me as arbitrator by a glance）
'I ask you yourself。 When a man has been so foolish as to live with a
woman of my sort； for； after all； I was an opera danceryes； I ought
always to remember that； if other people are to forget itwell； under
those circumstances； a clever man seeking to raise his wife in public
opinion would do his best to impose her upon the world as a remarkable
woman； to justify the step he had taken by acknowledging that in some
ways she was something more than ordinary women。 The best way of
compelling respect from others is to pay respect to her at home； and
to leave her absolute mistress of the house。 Well； and yet it is
enough to awaken one's vanity to see how frightened he is of seeming
to listen to me。 I must be in the right ten times over if he concedes
a single point。'
〃（Emphatic negative gestures from du Bruel at every other word。）
〃 'Oh； yes； yes；' she continued quickly； in answer to this mute
dissent。 'I know all about it； du Bruel； my dear； I that have been
like a queen in my house all my life till I married you。 My wishes
were guessed； fulfilled； and more than fulfilled。 After all； I am
thirty…five； and at five…and…thirty a woman cannot expect to be loved。
Ah； if I were a girl of sixteen； if I had not lost something that is
dearly bought at the Opera； what attention you would pay me； M。 du
Bruel！ I feel the most supreme contempt for men who boast that they
can love and grow careless and neglectful in little things as time
grows on。 You are short and insignificant； you see； du Bruel； you love
to torment a woman； it is your only way of showing your strength。 A
Napoleon is ready to be swayed by the woman he loves； he loses nothing
by it； but as for such as you； you believe that you are nothing
apparently； you do not wish to be ruled。Five…and…thirty； my dear
boy；' she continued； turning to me； 'that is the clue to the riddle。
〃No；〃 does he say again？You know quite well that I am thirty…seven。
I am very sorry； but just ask your friends to dine at the /Rocher de
Cancale/。 I /could/ have them here； but I will not； they shall not
come。 And then perhaps my poor little monologue may engrave that
salutary maxim； 〃Each is master at home；〃 upon your memory。 That is
our character；' she added； laughing； with a return of the opera girl's
giddiness and caprice。
〃 'Well； well； my dear little puss； there； there； never mind。 We can
manage to get on together；' said du Bruel； and he kissed her hands；
and we came away。 But he was very wroth。
〃The whole way from the Rue de la Victoire to the boulevard a perfect
torrent of venomous words poured from his mouth like a waterfall in
flood； but as the shocking language which he used on occasion was
quite unfit to print； the report is necessarily inadequate。
〃 'My dear fellow； I will leave that vile； shameless opera dancer； a
worn…out jade that has been set spinning like a top to every operatic
air； a foul hussy； an organ…grinder's monkey！ Oh； my dear boy； you
have taken up with an actress； may the notion of marrying your
mistress never get a hold on you。 It is a torment omitted from the
hell of Dante； you see。 Look here！ I will beat her； I will give her a
thrashing； I will give it to her！ Poison of my life； she sent me off
like a running footman。'
〃By this time we had reached the boulevard； and he had worked himself
up to such a pitch of fury that the words stuck in his throat。
〃 'I will kick the stuffing out of her！'
〃 'And why？'
〃 'My dear fellow； you will never know the thousand…and…one fancies
that slut takes into her head。 When I want to stay at home； she；
forsooth； must go out； when I want to go out； she wants me to stop at
home； and she spouts out arguments and accusations and reasoning and
talks and talks till she drives you crazy。 Right means any whim that
they happen to take into their heads； and wrong means our notion。
Overwhelm them with something that cuts their arguments to pieces
they hold their tongues and look at you as if you were a dead dog。 My
happiness indeed！ I lead the life of a yard…dog； I am a perfect slave。
The little happiness that I have with her costs me dear。 Confound it
all。 I will leave her everything and take myself off to a garret。 Yes；
a garret and liberty。 I have not dared to have my own way once in
these five years。'
〃But instead of going to his guests； Cursy strode up and down the
boulevard between the Rue de Richelieu and the Rue du Mont Blanc；
indulging in the most fearful imprecations； his unbounded language was
most comical to hear。 His paroxysm of fury in the street contrasted
oddly with his peaceable demeanor in the house。 Exercise assisted him
to work off his nervous agitation and inward tempest。 About two
o'clock； on a sudden frantic impulse； he exclaimed：
〃 'These damned females never know what they want。 I will wager my
head now that if I go home and tell her that I have sent to ask my
friends to dine with me at the /Rocher de Cancale/； she will not be
satisfied though she made the arrangement herself。But she will have
gone off somewhere or other。 I wonder whether there is something at
the bottom of all this； an assignation with some goat？ No。 In the
bottom of her heart she loves me！' 〃
The Marquise could not help smiling。
〃Ah； madame；〃 said Nathan； looking keenly at her； 〃only women and
prophets know how to turn faith to account。Du Bruel would have me go
home with him；〃 he continued； 〃and we went slowly back。 It was three
o'clock。 Before he appeared； he heard a stir in the kitchen； saw
preparations going forward； and glanced at me as he asked the cook the
reason of this。
〃 'Madame ordered dinner；' said the woman。 'Madame dressed and ordered
a cab； and then she changed her mind and ordered it again for the
theatre this evening。'
〃 'Good；' exclaimed du Bruel； 'what did I tell you？'
〃We entered the house stealthily。 No one was there。 We went from room
to room until we reached a little boudoir； and came upon Tullia in
tears。 She dried her eyes without affectation； and spoke to du Bruel。
〃 'Send a note to the /Rocher de