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quite well again； and her boy no longer required the assiduous care
which debars a mother from social pleasures； Theodore had come to the
stage of wishing to know the joys of satisfied vanity to be found in
society by a man who shows himself with a handsome woman； the object
of envy and admiration。
To figure in drawing…rooms with the reflected lustre of her husband's
fame； and to find other women envious of her； was to Augustine a new
harvest of pleasures； but it was the last gleam of conjugal happiness。
She first wounded her husband's vanity when； in spite of vain efforts；
she betrayed her ignorance； the inelegance of her language； and the
narrowness of her ideas。 Sommervieux's nature； subjugated for nearly
two years and a half by the first transports of love； now； in the calm
of less new possession； recovered its bent and habits； for a while
diverted from their channel。 Poetry； painting； and the subtle joys of
imagination have inalienable rights over a lofty spirit。 These
cravings of a powerful soul had not been starved in Theodore during
these two years； they had only found fresh pasture。 As soon as the
meadows of love had been ransacked； and the artist had gathered roses
and cornflowers as the children do； so greedily that he did not see
that his hands could hold no more； the scene changed。 When the painter
showed his wife the sketches for his finest compositions he heard her
exclaim； as her father had done； 〃How pretty！〃 This tepid admiration
was not the outcome of conscientious feeling； but of her faith on the
strength of love。
Augustine cared more for a look than for the finest picture。 The only
sublime she knew was that of the heart。 At last Theodore could not
resist the evidence of the cruel facthis wife was insensible to
poetry； she did not dwell in his sphere； she could not follow him in
all his vagaries； his inventions； his joys and his sorrows； she walked
groveling in the world of reality； while his head was in the skies。
Common minds cannot appreciate the perennial sufferings of a being
who； while bound to another by the most intimate affections； is
obliged constantly to suppress the dearest flights of his soul； and to
thrust down into the void those images which a magic power compels him
to create。 To him the torture is all the more intolerable because his
feeling towards his companion enjoins； as its first law； that they
should have no concealments； but mingle the aspirations of their
thought as perfectly as the effusions of their soul。 The demands of
nature are not to be cheated。 She is as inexorable as necessity； which
is； indeed； a sort of social nature。 Sommervieux took refuge in the
peace and silence of his studio； hoping that the habit of living with
artists might mould his wife and develop in her the dormant germs of
lofty intelligence which some superior minds suppose must exist in
every being。 But Augustine was too sincerely religious not to take
fright at the tone of artists。 At the first dinner Theodore gave； she
heard a young painter say； with the childlike lightness； which to her
was unintelligible； and which redeems a jest from the taint of
profanity； 〃But； madame； your Paradise cannot be more beautiful than
Raphael's Transfiguration！Well； and I got tired of looking at that。〃
Thus Augustine came among this sparkling set in a spirit of distrust
which no one could fail to see。 She was a restraint on their freedom。
Now an artist who feels restraint is pitiless； he stays away； or
laughs it to scorn。 Madame Guillaume； among other absurdities； had an
excessive notion of the dignity she considered the prerogative of a
married woman； and Augustine； though she had often made fun of it；
could not help a slight imitation of her mother's primness。 This
extreme propriety； which virtuous wives do not always avoid； suggested
a few epigrams in the form of sketches； in which the harmless jest was
in such good taste that Sommervieux could not take offence； and even
if they had been more severe； these pleasantries were after all only
reprisals from his friends。 Still； nothing could seem a trifle to a
spirit so open as Theodore's to impressions from without。 A coldness
insensibly crept over him； and inevitably spread。 To attain conjugal
happiness we must climb a hill whose summit is a narrow ridge； close
to a steep and slippery descent： the painter's love was falling down
it。 He regarded his wife as incapable of appreciating the moral
considerations which justified him in his own eyes for his singular
behavior to her； and believed himself quite innocent in hiding from
her thoughts she could not enter into； and peccadilloes outside the
jurisdiction of a /bourgeois/ conscience。 Augustine wrapped herself in
sullen and silent grief。 These unconfessed feelings placed a shroud
between the husband and wife which could not fail to grow thicker day
by day。 Though her husband never failed in consideration for her；
Augustine could not help trembling as she saw that he kept for the
outer world those treasures of wit and grace that he formerly would
lay at her feet。 She soon began to find sinister meaning in the
jocular speeches that are current in the world as to the inconstancy
of men。 She made no complaints； but her demeanor conveyed reproach。
Three years after her marriage this pretty young woman； who dashed
past in her handsome carriage； and lived in a sphere of glory and
riches to the envy of heedless folk incapable of taking a just view of
the situations of life； was a prey to intense grief。 She lost her
color； she reflected； she made comparisons； then sorrow unfolded to
her the first lessons of experience。 She determined to restrict
herself bravely within the round of duty； hoping that by this generous
conduct she might sooner or later win back her husband's love。 But it
was not so。 When Sommervieux； fired with work； came in from his
studio； Augustine did not put away her work so quickly but that the
painter might find his wife mending the household linen； and his own；
with all the care of a good housewife。 She supplied generously and
without a murmur the money needed for his lavishness； but in her
anxiety to husband her dear Theodore's fortune； she was strictly
economical for herself and in certain details of domestic management。
Such conduct is incompatible with the easy…going habits of artists；
who； at the end of their life； have enjoyed it so keenly that they
never inquire into the causes of their ruin。
It is useless to note every tint of shadow by which the brilliant hues
of their honeymoon were overcast till they were lost in utter
blackness。 One evening poor Augustine； who had for some time heard her
husband speak with enthusiasm of the Duchesse de Carigliano； received
from a friend certain malignantly charitable warnings as to the nature
of the attachment which Sommervieux had formed for this celebrated
flirt of the Imperial Court。 At one…and…twenty； in all the splendor of
youth and beauty； Augustine saw herself deserted for a woman of
six…and…thirty。 Feeling herself so wretched in the midst of a world of
festivity which to her was a blank； the poor little thing could no
longer understand the admiration