triumphofthiskindislikestrongwinetovanity，self-love，andalltheself-regardingfeelings。Toposeperpetuallyasadivinityisadraughtsopotentinitsintoxicatingeffects，thatIamnolongersurprisedtoseewomengrowselfish，callous，andfrivolousintheheartofthisadoration。Thefumesofsocietymounttothehead。Youlavishthewealthofyoursoulandspirit，thetreasuresofyourtime，thenoblesteffortsofyourwill，uponacrowdofpeoplewhorepayyouinsmilesandjealousy。Thefalsecoinoftheirprettyspeeches，compliments，andflatteryistheonlyreturntheygiveforthesolidgoldofyourcourageandsacrifices，andallthethoughtthatmustgotokeepupwithoutflaggingthestandardofbeauty，dress，sparklingtalk，andgeneralaffability。Youareperfectlyawarehowmuchitcosts，andthatthewholethingisafraud，butyoucannotkeepoutofthevortex。
Ah!mysweetheart，howonecravesforarealfriend!HowprecioustomearetheloveanddevotionofFelipe，andhowmyheartgoesouttoyou!JoyfullyindeedarewepreparingforourmovetoChantepleurs，wherewecanrestfromthecomedyoftheRuedeBacandoftheParisdrawing-rooms。Havingjustreadyourletteragain，IfeelthatI
cannotbetterdescribethisdemoniacparadisethanbysayingthatnowomanoffashioninPariscanpossiblybeagoodmother。
Good-bye，then，forashorttime，dearone。WeshallstayatChantepleursonlyaweekatmost，andshallbewithyouaboutMay10th。Soweareactuallytomeetagainaftermorethantwoyears!Whatchangessincethen!Hereweare，bothmatrons，bothinourpromisedland——Ioflove，youofmotherhood。
IfIhavenotwritten，mysweetest，itisnotbecauseIhaveforgottenyou。Andwhatofthemonkeygodson？Ishestillprettyandacredittome？Hemustbemorethanninemonths’oldnow。Ishoulddearlyliketobepresentwhenhemakeshisfirststepsuponthisearth；butMacumertellsmethatevenprecociousinfantshardlywalkattenmonths。