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taking fright； like you； at their superiority； they very acutely noted
the qualities they lacked； and either by possessing those qualities；
or by feigning to possess them； they found means of making such a
handsome display of them in their husbands' eyes that in the end they
impressed them。 Also； I must tell you； all these souls which appear so
lofty have just a speck of madness in them； which we ought to know how
to take advantage of。 By firmly resolving to have the upper hand and
never deviating from that aim； by bringing all our actions to bear on
it； all our ideas； our cajolery； we subjugate these eminently
capricious natures； which； by the very mutability of their thoughts；
lend us the means of influencing them。〃
〃Good heavens！〃 cried the young wife in dismay。 〃And this is life。 It
is a warfare〃
〃In which we must always threaten；〃 said the Duchess； laughing。 〃Our
power is wholly factitious。 And we must never allow a man to despise
us； it is impossible to recover from such a descent but by odious
manoeuvring。 Come；〃 she added； 〃I will give you a means of bringing
your husband to his senses。〃
She rose with a smile to guide the young and guileless apprentice to
conjugal arts through the labyrinth of her palace。 They came to a
back…staircase； which led up to the reception rooms。 As Madame de
Carigliano pressed the secret springlock of the door she stopped；
looking at Augustine with an inimitable gleam of shrewdness and grace。
〃The Duc de Carigliano adores me；〃 said she。 〃Well； he dare not enter
by this door without my leave。 And he is a man in the habit of
commanding thousands of soldiers。 He knows how to face a battery； but
before me；he is afraid！〃
Augustine sighed。 They entered a sumptuous gallery； where the
painter's wife was led by the Duchess up to the portrait painted by
Theodore of Mademoiselle Guillaume。 On seeing it； Augustine uttered a
cry。
〃I knew it was no longer in my house；〃 she said； 〃buthere！〃
〃My dear child； I asked for it merely to see what pitch of idiocy a
man of genius may attain to。 Sooner or later I should have returned it
to you； for I never expected the pleasure of seeing the original here
face to face with the copy。 While we finish our conversation I will
have it carried down to your carriage。 And if； armed with such a
talisman； you are not your husband's mistress for a hundred years； you
are not a woman； and you deserve your fate。〃
Augustine kissed the Duchess' hand； and the lady clasped her to her
heart； with all the more tenderness because she would forget her by
the morrow。 This scene might perhaps have destroyed for ever the
candor and purity of a less virtuous woman than Augustine； for the
astute politics of the higher social spheres were no more consonant to
Augustine than the narrow reasoning of Joseph Lebas； or Madame
Guillaume's vapid morality。 Strange are the results of the false
positions into which we may be brought by the slightest mistake in the
conduct of life！ Augustine was like an Alpine cowherd surprised by an
avalanche； if he hesitates； if he listens to the shouts of his
comrades； he is almost certainly lost。 In such a crisis the heart
steels itself or breaks。
Madame de Sommervieux returned home a prey to such agitation as it is
difficult to describe。 Her conversation with the Duchesse de
Carigliano had roused in her mind a crowd of contradictory thoughts。
Like the sheep in the fable； full of courage in the wolf's absence；
she preached to herself； and laid down admirable plans of conduct； she
devised a thousand coquettish stratagems； she even talked to her
husband； finding； away from him； all the springs of true eloquence
which never desert a woman； then； as she pictured to herself
Theodore's clear and steadfast gaze； she began to quake。 When she
asked whether monsieur were at home her voice shook。 On learning that
he would not be in to dinner； she felt an unaccountable thrill of joy。
Like a criminal who has appealed against sentence of death； a respite；
however short； seemed to her a lifetime。 She placed the portrait in
her room； and waited for her husband in all the agonies of hope。 That
this venture must decide her future life； she felt too keenly not to
shiver at every sound； even the low ticking of the clock； which seemed
to aggravate her terrors by doling them out to her。 She tried to cheat
time by various devices。 The idea struck her of dressing in a way
which would make her exactly like the portrait。 Then； knowing her
husband's restless temper； she had her room lighted up with unusual
brightness； feeling sure that when he came in curiosity would bring
him there at once。 Midnight had struck when； at the call of the groom；
the street gate was opened； and the artist's carriage rumbled in over
the stones of the silent courtyard。
〃What is the meaning of this illumination？〃 asked Theodore in glad
tones； as he came into her room。
Augustine skilfully seized the auspicious moment； she threw herself
into her husband's arms； and pointed to the portrait。 The artist stood
rigid as a rock； and his eyes turned alternately on Augustine； on the
accusing dress。 The frightened wife； half…dead； as she watched her
husband's changeful browthat terrible browsaw the expressive
furrows gathering like clouds； then she felt her blood curdling in her
veins when； with a glaring look； and in a deep hollow voice； he began
to question her：
〃Where did you find that picture？〃
〃The Duchess de Carigliano returned it to me。〃
〃You asked her for it？〃
〃I did not know that she had it。〃
The gentleness； or rather the exquisite sweetness of this angel's
voice； might have touched a cannibal； but not an artist in the
clutches of wounded vanity。
〃It is worthy of her！〃 exclaimed the painter in a voice of thunder。 〃I
will be avenged！〃 he cried； striding up and down the room。 〃She shall
die of shame； I will paint her！ Yes； I will paint her as Messalina
stealing out at night from the palace of Claudius。〃
〃Theodore！〃 said a faint voice。
〃I will kill her！〃
〃My dear〃
〃She is in love with that little cavalry colonel； because he rides
well〃
〃Theodore！〃
〃Let me be！〃 said the painter in a tone almost like a roar。
It would be odious to describe the whole scene。 In the end the frenzy
of passion prompted the artist to acts and words which any woman not
so young as Augustine would have ascribed to madness。
At eight o'clock next morning Madame Guillaume； surprising her
daughter； found her pale； with red eyes； her hair in disorder； holding
a handkerchief soaked with tears； while she gazed at the floor strewn
with the torn fragments of a dress and the broken fragments of a large
gilt picture…frame。 Augustine； almost senseless with grief； pointed to
the wreck with a gesture of deep despair。
〃I don't know that the loss is very great！〃 cried the old mistress of
the Cat and Racket。 〃It was like you； no doubt； but I am told that
there is a man on the boulevard who paints lovely portraits for fifty
crowns。〃
〃Oh； mother！〃
〃Poor child； you are quite right；〃 replied Madame Guillaume； who
misinterpreted the expression of her daughter's glance at her。 〃True；
my child； no one ever c