YesterdayIaimedashaftatM。Henarezwhichmusthavetouchedhimtothequick。Hemadenoreply；thelessonwasover，andhebowedwithaglanceatme，inwhichIreadthathewouldneverreturn。Thissuitsmecapitally；therewouldbesomethingominousinstartinganimitation/NouvelleHeloise/。IhavejustbeenreadingRousseau’s，andithasleftmewithastrongdistasteforlove。Passionwhichcanargueandmoralizeseemstomedetestable。
Clarissaalsoismuchtoopleasedwithherselfandherlong，littleletter；butRichardson’sworkisanadmirablepicture，myfathertellsme，ofEnglishwomen。Rousseau’sseemstomeasortofphilosophicalsermon，castintheformofletters。
Love，asIconceiveit，isapurelysubjectivepoem。Inallthatbookstellusaboutit，thereisnothingwhichisnotatoncefalseandtrue。Andso，myprettyone，asyouwillhenceforthbeanauthorityonlyonconjugallove，itseemstomemyduty——intheinterest，ofcourse，ofourcommonlife——toremainunmarried，andhaveagrandpassion，sothatwemayenlargeourexperience。
Tellmeeverydetailofwhathappenstoyou，especiallyinthefirstfewdays，withthatstrangeanimalcalledahusband。IpromisetodothesameforyouifeverIamloved。
Farewell，poormartyreddarling。
MME。DEL’ESTORADETOMLLE。DECHAULIEU
LaCrampade。
YourSpaniardandyoumakemeshudder，mydarling。Iwritethislinetobegofyoutodismisshim。Allthatyousayofhimcorrespondswiththecharacterofthosedangerousadventurerswho，havingnothingtolose，willtakeanyrisk。Thismancannotbeyourhusband，andmustnotbeyourlover。Iwillwritetoyoumorefullyabouttheinnerhistoryofmymarriedlifewhenmyheartisfreefromtheanxietyyourlastletterhasrousedinit。
MLLE。DECHAULIEUTOMME。DEL’ESTORADE
February。
Atnineo’clockthismorning，sweetheart，myfatherwasannouncedinmyrooms。Iwasupanddressed。Ifoundhimsolemnlyseatedbesidethefireinthedrawing-room，lookingmorethoughtfulthanusual。Hepointedtothearmchairoppositetohim。Divininghismeaning，Isankintoitwithagravity，whichsowellapedhis，thathecouldnotrefrainfromsmiling，thoughthesmilewasdashedwithmelancholy。
“Youarequiteamatchforyourgrandmotherinquick-wittedness，“hesaid。
“Come，father，don’tplaythecourtierhere，“Ireplied；“youwantsomethingfromme。“
Herose，visiblyagitated，andtalkedtomeforhalfanhour。Thisconversation，dear，reallyoughttobepreserved。Assoonashehadgone，Isatdowntomytableandtriedtorecallhiswords。ThisisthefirsttimethatIhaveseenmyfatherrevealinghisinnerthoughts。
Hebeganbyflatteringme，andhedidnotdoitbadly。Iwasboundtobegratefultohimforhavingunderstoodandappreciatedme。
“Armande，“hesaid，“Iwasquitemistakeninyou，andyouhaveagreeablysurprisedme。Whenyouarrivedfromtheconvent，Itookyouforanaverageyounggirl，ignorantandnotparticularlyintelligent，easilytobeboughtoffwithgewgawsandornaments，andwithlittleturnforreflection。“
“Youarecomplimentarytoyounggirls，father。“
“Oh!thereisnosuchthingasyouthnowadays，“hesaid，withtheairofadiplomat。“Yourmindisamazinglyopen。Youtakeeverythingatitsproperworth；yourclear-sightednessisextraordinary，thereisnohoodwinkingyou。Youpassforbeingblind，andallthetimeyouhavelaidyourhandoncauses，whileotherpeoplearestillpuzzlingovereffects。Inshort，youareaministerinpetticoats，theonlypersonherecapableofunderstandingme。Itfollows，then，thatifIhaveanysacrificetoaskfromyou，itisonlytoyourselfIcanturnforhelpinpersuadingyou。
“Iamthereforegoingtoexplaintoyou，quitefrankly，myformerplans，towhichIstilladhere。Inordertorecommendthemtoyou，I
mustshowthattheyareconnectedwithfeelingsofaveryhighorder，andIshallthusbeobligedtoenterintopoliticalquestionsofthegreatestimportancetothekingdom，whichmightbewearisometoanyonelessintelligentthanyouare。Whenyouhaveheardme，Ihopeyouwilltaketimeforconsideration，sixmonthsifnecessary。Youareentirelyyourownmistress；andifyoudeclinetomakethesacrificeI
ask，Ishallbowtoyourdecisionandtroubleyounofurther。“
Thispreface，mysweetheart，mademereallyserious，andIsaid：
“Speak，father。“
Here，then，isthedeliveranceofthestatesman：
“Mychild，Franceisinaverycriticalposition，whichisunderstoodonlybytheKingandafewsuperiorminds。ButtheKingisaheadwithoutarms；thegreatnobles，whoareinthesecretofthedanger，havenoauthorityoverthemenwhoseco-operationisneedfulinordertobringaboutahappyresult。Thesemen，castupbypopularelection，refusetolendthemselvesasinstruments。Eventheablemenamongthemcarryontheworkofpullingdownsociety，insteadofhelpingustostrengthentheedifice。
“Inaword，thereareonlytwoparties——thepartyofMariusandthepartyofSulla。IamforSullaagainstMarius。This，roughlyspeaking，isourposition。Togomoreintodetails：theRevolutionisstillactive；itisembeddedinthelawandwrittenonthesoil；itfillspeople’sminds。ThedangerisallthegreaterbecausethegreaternumberoftheKing’scounselors，seeingitdestituteofarmedforcesandofmoney，believeitcompletelyvanquished。TheKingisanableman，andnoteasilyblinded；butfromdaytodayheiswonoverbyhisbrother’spartisans，whowanttohurrythingson。Hehasnottwoyearstolive，andthinksmoreofapeacefuldeathbedthanofanythingelse。
“ShallItellyou，mychild，whichisthemostdestructiveofalltheconsequencesentailedbytheRevolution？Youwouldneverguess。InLouisXVI。theRevolutionhasdecapitatedeveryheadofafamily。Thefamilyhasceasedtoexist；wehaveonlyindividuals。Intheirdesiretobecomeanation，Frenchmenhaveabandonedtheideaofempire；inproclaimingtheequalrightsofallchildrentotheirfather’sinheritance，theyhavekilledthefamilyspiritandcreatedtheStatetreasury。Butallthishaspavedthewayforweakenedauthority，fortheblindforceofthemasses，forthedecayofartandthesupremacyofindividualinterests，andhaslefttheroadopentotheforeigninvader。
“Westandbetweentwopolicies——eithertofoundtheStateonthebasisofthefamily，ortorestitonindividualinterest——inotherwords，betweendemocracyandaristocracy，betweenfreediscussionandobedience，betweenCatholicismandreligiousindifference。Iamamongthefewwhoareresolvedtoopposewhatiscalledthepeople，andthatinthepeople’strueinterest。Itisnotnowaquestionoffeudalrights，asfoolsaretold，norofrank；itisaquestionoftheStateandoftheexistenceofFrance。Thecountrywhichdoesnotrestonthefoundationofpaternalauthoritycannotbestable。Thatisthefootoftheladderofresponsibilityandsubordination，whichhasforitssummittheKing。
“TheKingstandsforusall。TodiefortheKingistodieforoneself，forone’sfamily，which，likethekingdom，cannotdie。Allanimalshavecertaininstincts；theinstinctofmanisforfamilylife。Acountryisstrongwhichconsistsofwealthyfamilies，everymemberofwhomisinterestedindefendingacommontreasure；itisweakwhencomposedofscatteredindividuals，towhomitmatterslittlewhethertheyobeysevenorone，aRussianoraCorsican，solongaseachkeepshisownplotofland，blind，intheirwretchedegotism，tothefactthatthedayiscomingwhenthistoowillbetornfromthem。
“Terriblecalamitiesareinstoreforus，incaseourpartyfails。
Nothingwillbeleftbutpenalorfiscallaws——yourmoneyoryourlife。Themostgenerousnationontheearthwillhaveceasedtoobeythecallofnobleinstincts。Woundspastcuringwillhavebeenfosteredandaggravated，anallpervadingjealousybeingthefirst。
Thentheupperclasseswillbesubmerged；equalityofdesirewillbetakenforequalityofstrength；truedistinction，evenwhenprovedandrecognized，willbethreatenedbytheadvancingtideofmiddle-classprejudice。Itwaspossibletochooseonemanoutofathousand，but，amongstthreemillions，discriminationbecomesimpossible，whenallaremovedbythesameambitionsandattiredinthesameliveryofmediocrity。Noforesightwillwarnthisvictorioushordeofthatotherterriblehorde，soontobearrayedagainsttheminthepeasantproprietors；inotherwords，twentymillionacresofland，alive，stirring，arguing，deaftoreason，insatiableofappetite，obstructingprogress，mastersintheirbruteforce——“
“But，“saidI，interruptingmyfather，“whatcanIdotohelptheState。IfeelnovocationforplayingJoanofArcintheinterestsofthefamily，orforfindingamartyr’sblockintheconvent。“
“Youarealittlehussy，“criedmyfather。“IfIspeaksensiblytoyou，youarefullofjokes；whenIjest，youtalklikeanambassadress。“
“Lovelivesoncontrasts，“wasmyreply。
Andhelaughedtillthetearsstoodinhiseyes。
“YouwillreflectonwhatIhavetoldyou；youwilldojusticetothelargeandconfidingspiritinwhichIhavebroachedthematter，andpossiblyeventsmayassistmyplans。Iknowthat，sofarasyouareconcerned，theyareinjuriousandunfair，andthisisthereasonwhyI
appealforyoursanctionofthemlesstoyourheartandyourimaginationthantoyourreason。IhavefoundmorejudgmentandcommonsenseinyouthaninanyoneIknow——“
“Youflatteryourself，“Isaid，withasmile，“forIameveryinchyourchild!“
“Inshort，“hewenton，“onemustbelogical。Youcan’thavetheendwithoutthemeans，anditisourdutytosetanexampletoothers。
FromallthisIdeducethatyououghtnottohavemoneyofyourowntillyouryoungerbrotherisprovidedfor，andIwanttoemploythewholeofyourinheritanceinpurchasinganestateforhimtogowiththetitle。“
“But，“Isaid，“youwon’tinterferewithmylivinginmyownfashionandenjoyinglifeifIleaveyoumyfortune？“
“Provided，“hereplied，“thatyourviewoflifedoesnotconflictwiththefamilyhonor，reputation，and，Imayadd，glory。“
“Come，come，“Icried，“whathasbecomeofmyexcellentjudgment？“
“ThereisnotinallFrance，“hesaidwithbitterness，“amanwhowouldtakeforwifeadaughterofoneofournoblestfamilieswithoutadowryandbestowoneonher。Ifsuchahusbandcouldbefound，itwouldbeamongtheclassofrich/parvenus/；onthispointIbelongtotheeleventhcentury。“
“AndIalso，“Isaid。“Butwhydespair？Aretherenoagedpeers？“
“Youareanaptscholar，Louise!“heexclaimed。
Thenheleftme，smilingandkissingmyhand。
Ireceivedyourletterthisverymorning，anditledmetocontemplatethatabyssintowhichyousaythatImayfall。Avoicewithinseemedtoutterthesamewarning。SoItookmyprecautions。Henarez，mydear，darestolookatme，andhiseyesaredisquieting。TheyinspiremewithwhatIcanonlycallanunreasoningdread。Suchamanoughtnomoretobelookedatthanafrog；heisuglyandfascinating。
FortwodaysIhavebeenhesitatingwhethertotellmyfatherpoint-
blankthatIwantnomoreSpanishlessonsandhaveHenarezsentabouthisbusiness。Butinspiteofallmybraveresolutions，IfeelthatthehorriblesensationwhichcomesovermewhenIseethatmanhasbecomenecessarytome。Isaytomyself，“Oncemore，andthenIwillspeak。“
Hisvoice，mydear，issweetlythrilling；hisspeakingisjustlikelaFodor’ssinging。Hismannersaresimple，entirelyfreefromaffectation。Andwhatteeth!
Justnow，ashewasleaving，heseemedtodivinetheinterestItakeinhim，andmadeagesture——oh!mostrespectfully——asthoughtotakemyhandandkissit；thencheckedhimself，apparentlyterrifiedathisownboldnessandthechasmhehadbeenonthepointofbridging。Therewasthemerestsuggestionofallthis，butIunderstooditandsmiled，fornothingismorepatheticthantoseethefrankimpulseofaninferiorcheckingitselfabashed。Theloveofaplebeianforagirlofnoblebirthimpliessuchcourage!
Mysmileemboldenedhim。Thepoorfellowlookedblindlyaboutforhishat；heseemeddeterminednottofindit，andIhandedittohimwithperfectgravity。Hiseyeswerewetwithunshedtears。Itwasamerepassingmoment，yetaworldoffactsandideaswerecontainedinit。
Weunderstoodeachothersowellthat，onasudden，Iheldoutmyhandforhimtokiss。
Possiblythiswasequivalenttotellinghimthatlovemightbridgetheintervalbetweenus。Well，Icannottellwhatmovedmetodoit。
GriffithhadherbackturnedasIproudlyextendedmylittlewhitepaw。Ifeltthefireofhislips，temperedbytwobigtears。Oh!mylove，Ilayinmyarmchair，nerveless，dreamy。Iwashappy，andI
cannotexplaintoyouhoworwhy。WhatIfeltonlyapoetcouldexpress。Mycondescension，whichfillsmewithshamenow，seemedtomethensomethingtobeproudof；hehadfascinatedme，thatismyoneexcuse。
Friday。