Myangel——oroughtInotrathertosaymyimpofevil？——youhave，withoutmeaningit，grievedmesorely。Iwouldsaywoundedwerewenotonesoul。Andyetitispossibletowoundoneself。
Howplainitisthatyouhaveneverrealizedtheforceoftheword/indissoluble/asappliedtothecontractbindingmanandwoman!I
havenowishtocontrovertwhathasbeenlaiddownbyphilosophersorlegislators——theyarequitecapableofdoingthisforthemselves——but，dearone，inmakingmarriageirrevocableandimposingonitarelentlessformula，whichadmitsofnoexceptions，theyhaverenderedeachunionathingasdistinctasoneindividualisfromanother。Eachhasitsowninnerlawswhichdifferfromthoseofothers。Thelawsregulatingmarriedlifeinthecountry，forinstance，cannotbethesameasthoseregulatingahouseholdintown，wherefrequentdistractionsgivevarietytolife。Orconversely，marriedlifeinParis，whereexistenceisoneperpetualwhirl，mustdemanddifferenttreatmentfromthemorepeacefulhomeintheprovinces。
Butifplacealterstheconditionsofmarriage，muchmoredoescharacter。Thewifeofamanborntobealeaderneedonlyresignherselftohisguidance；whereasthewifeofafool，consciousofsuperiorpower，isboundtotakethereinsinherownhandifshewouldavertcalamity。
Youspeakofvice；anditispossiblethat，afterall，reasonandreflectionproducearesultnotdissimilarfromwhatwecallbythatname。Forwhatdoesawomanmeanbyitbutperversionoffeelingthroughcalculation？Passionisviciouswhenitreasons，admirableonlywhenitspringsfromtheheartandspendsitselfinsublimeimpulsesthatsetatnaughtallselfishconsiderations。Soonerorlater，dearone，youtoowillsay，“Yes!dissimulationisthenecessaryarmorofawoman，ifbydissimulationbemeantcouragetobearinsilence，prudencetoforeseethefuture。“
Everymarriedwomanlearnstohercosttheexistenceofcertainsociallaws，which，inmanyrespects，conflictwiththelawsofnature。
Marryingatourage，itwouldbepossibletohaveadozenchildren。
Whatisthisbutanothernameforadozencrimes，adozenmisfortunes？
Itwouldbehandingovertopovertyanddespairtwelveinnocentdarlings；whereastwochildrenwouldmeanthehappinessofboth，adoubleblessing，twolivescapableofdevelopinginharmonywiththecustomsandlawsofourtime。Thenaturallawandthecodeareinhostility，andwearethebattleground。Wouldyougivethenameofvicetotheprudenceofthewifewhoguardsherfamilyfromdestructionthroughitsownacts？Onecalculationorathousand，whatmatter，ifthedecisionnolongerrestswiththeheart？
Andofthisterriblecalculationyouwillbeguiltysomeday，mynobleBaronnedeMacumer，whenyouaretheproudandhappywifeofthemanwhoadoresyou；orrather，beingamanofsense，hewillspareyoubymakingithimself。Yousee，deardreamer，thatIhavestudiedthecodeinitsbearingsonconjugalrelations。Andwhenatlastthatdaycomes，youwillunderstandthatweareanswerableonlytoGodandtoourselvesforthemeansweemploytokeephappinessalightintheheartofourhomes。Farbetteristhecalculationwhichsucceedsinthisthantherecklesspassionwhichintroducestrouble，heart-
burnings，anddissension。
Ihavereflectedpainfullyonthedutiesofawifeandmotherofafamily。Yes，sweetone，itisonlybyasublimehypocrisythatwecanattainthenoblestidealofaperfectwoman。YoutaxmewithinsinceritybecauseIdoleouttoLouis，fromdaytoday，themeasureofhisintimacywithme；butisitnottoocloseanintimacywhichprovokesrupture？Myaimistogivehim，intheveryinterestofhishappiness，manyoccupations，whichwillallserveasdistractionstohislove；andthisisnotthereasoningofpassion。Ifaffectionbeinexhaustible，itisnotsowithlove：thetask，therefore，ofawoman——trulynolightone——istospreaditoutthriftilyoveralifetime。
Attheriskofexcitingyourdisgust，ImusttellyouthatIpersistintheprinciplesIhaveadopted，andholdmyselfbothheroicandgenerousinsodoing。Virtue，mypet，isanabstractidea，varyinginitsmanifestationswiththesurroundings。VirtueinProvence，inConstantinople，inLondon，andinParisbearsverydifferentfruit，butisnonethelessvirtue。Eachhumanlifeisasubstancecompactedofwidelydissimilarelements，though，viewedfromacertainheight，thegeneraleffectisthesame。
IfIwishedtomakeLouisunhappyandtobringaboutaseparation，allIneeddoistoleavethehelminhishands。Ihavenothadyourgoodfortuneinmeetingwithamanofthehighestdistinction，butImayperhapshavethesatisfactionofhelpinghimontheroadtoit。FiveyearshenceletusmeetinParisandsee!Ibelieveweshallsucceedinmystifyingyou。YouwilltellmethenthatIwasquitemistaken，andthatM。del’Estoradeisamanofgreatnaturalgifts。
Asforthisbravelove，ofwhichIknowonlywhatyoutellme，thesetremorsandnightwatchesbystarlightonthebalcony，thisidolatrousworship，thisdeificationofwoman——Iknewitwasnotforme。Youcanenlargethebordersofyourbrilliantlifeasyouplease；mineishemmedintotheboundariesofLaCrampade。
Andyoureproachmeforthejealouscarewhichalonecannursethismodestandfragileshootintoawealthoflastingandmysterioushappiness!Ibelievedmyselftohavefoundouthowtoadaptthecharmofamistresstothepositionofawife，andyouhavealmostmademeblushformydevice。Whoshallsaywhichofusisright，whichiswrong？Perhapswearebothrightandbothwrong。Perhapsthisistheheavypricewhichsocietyexactsforourfurbelows，ourtitles，andourchildren。
Itoohavemyredcamellias，buttheybloomonmylipsinsmilesformydoublecharge——thefatherandtheson——whoseslaveandmistressI
am。But，mydear，yourlastlettersmademefeelwhatIhavelost!Youhavetaughtmeallawomansacrificesinmarrying。OnesingleglancedidItakeatthosebeautifulwildplateauswhereyourangeatyoursweetwill，andIwillnottellyouthetearsthatfellasIread。Butregretisnotremorse，thoughitmaybefirstcousintoit。
Yousay，“Marriagehasmadeyouaphilosopher!“Alas!bitterlydidI
feelhowfarthiswasfromthetruth，asIwepttothinkofyousweptawayonlove’storrent。Butmyfatherhasmademereadoneoftheprofoundestthinkersoftheseparts，themanonwhomthemantleofBoussuethasfallen，oneofthosehard-headedtheoristswhosewordsforceconviction。Whileyouwerereading/Corinne/，IconnedBonald；
andhereisthewholesecretofmyphilosophy。HerevealedtometheFamilyinitsstrengthandholiness。AccordingtoBonald，yourfatherwasrightinhishomily。
Farewell，mydearfancy，myfriend，mywildotherself。
LOUISEDECHAULIEUTOMME。DEL’ESTORADE
Well，myRenee，youarealoveofawoman，andIquiteagreenowthatwecanonlybevirtuousbycheating。Willthatsatisfyyou？Moreover，themanwholovesusisourproperty；wecanmakeafoolorageniusofhimasweplease；only，betweenourselves，theformerhappensmorecommonly。Youwillmakeyoursagenius，andyouwon’ttellthesecret——therearetwoheroicactions，ifyouwill!
Ah!iftherewerenofuturelife，hownicelyyouwouldbesold，forthisismartyrdomintowhichyouareplungingofyourownaccord。Youwanttomakehimambitiousandtokeephiminlove!Childthatyouare，surelythelastaloneissufficient。
Tellme，towhatpointiscalculationavirtue，orvirtuecalculation？
Youwon’tsay？Well，wewon’tquarreloverthat，sincewehaveBonaldtoreferto。Weare，andintendtoremain，virtuous；neverthelessatthismomentIbelievethatyou，withallyourprettylittleknavery，areabetterwomanthanIam。
Yes，Iamshockinglydeceitful。IloveFelipe，andIconcealitfromhimwithanodioushypocrisy。Ilongtoseehimleapfromhistreetothetopofthewall，andfromthewalltomybalcony——andifhedid，howIshouldwitherhimwithmyscorn!Yousee，Iamfrankenoughwithyou。
Whatrestrainsme？WhereisthemysteriouspowerwhichpreventsmefromtellingFelipe，dearfellow，howsupremelyhappyhehasmademebytheoutpouringofhislove——sopure，soabsolute，soboundless，sounobtrusive，andsooverflowing？
Mme。deMirbelispaintingmyportrait，andIintendtogiveittohim，mydear。Whatsurprisesmemoreandmoreeverydayistheanimationwhichloveputsintolife。Howfullofinterestiseveryhour，everyaction，everytrifle!andwhatamazingconfusionbetweenthepast，thefuture，andthepresent!Onelivesinthreetensesatonce。Isitstillsoaftertheheightsofhappinessarereached？Oh!
tellme，Iimploreyou，whatishappiness？Doesitsoothe，ordoesitexcite？Iamhorriblyrestless；Iseemtohavelostallmybearings；aforceinmyheartdragsmetohim，spiteofreasonandspiteofpropriety。Thereisthisgain，thatIambetterabletoenterintoyourfeelings。
Felipe’shappinessconsistsinfeelinghimselfmine；thealoofnessofhislove，hisstrictobedience，irritateme，justashisattitudeofprofoundrespectprovokedmewhenhewasonlymySpanishmaster。Iamtemptedtocryouttohimashepasses，“Fool，ifyoulovemesomuchasapicture，whatwillitbewhenyouknowtherealme？“
Oh!Renee，youburnmyletters，don’tyou？Iwillburnyours。Ifothereyesthanoursweretoreadthesethoughtswhichpassfromhearttoheart，IshouldsendFelipetoputthemout，andperhapstokilltheowners，bywayofadditionalsecurity。
Monday。
Oh!Renee，howisitpossibletofathomtheheartofman？MyfatheroughttointroducemetoM。Bonald，sinceheissolearned；Iwouldaskhim。IenvytheprivilegeofGod，whocanreadtheundercurrentsoftheheart。
Doeshestillworship？Thatisthewholequestion。
Ifever，ingesture，glance，ortone，IweretodetecttheslightestfallingoffintherespectheusedtoshowmeinthedayswhenhewasmyinstructorinSpanish，IfeelthatIshouldhavestrengthtoputthewholethingfromme。“Whythesefinewords，thesegrandresolutions？“youwillsay。Dear，Iwilltellyou。
Myfascinatingfather，whotreatsmewiththedevotionofanItalian/cavaliereservente/forhislady，hadmyportraitpainted，asItoldyou，byMme。deMirbel。Icontrivedtogetacopymade，goodenoughtodofortheDuke，andsenttheoriginaltoFelipe。Idespatchedityesterday，andtheselineswithit：
“DonFelipe，yoursingle-hearteddevotionismetbyablindconfidence。Timewillshowwhetherthisisnottotreatamanasmorethanhuman。“
Itwasabigreward。Itlookedlikeapromiseand——dreadfultosay——achallenge；but——whichwillseemtoyoustillmoredreadful——Iquiteintendedthatitshouldsuggestboththesethings，withoutgoingsofarasactuallytocommitme。Ifinhisreplythereis“DearLouise!“
oreven“Louise，“heisdonefor!
Tuesday。
No，heisnotdonefor。Theconstitutionalministerisperfectasalover。Hereishisletter：——
“Everymomentpassedawayfromyoursighthasbeenfilledbymewithidealpicturesofyou，myeyesclosedtotheoutsideworldandfixedinmeditationonyourimage，whichusedtoobeythesummonstooslowlyinthatdimpalaceofdreams，glorifiedbyyourpresence。Henceforthmygazewillrestuponthiswondrousivory——
thistalisman，mightInotsay？——sinceyourblueeyessparklewithlifeasIlook，andpaintpassesintofleshandblood。IfIhavedelayedwriting，itisbecauseIcouldnottearmyselfawayfromyourpresence，whichwrungfrommeallthatIwasboundtokeepmostsecret。
“Yes，closetedwithyoualllastnightandto-day，Ihave，forthefirsttimeinmylife，givenmyselfuptofull，complete，andboundlesshappiness。CouldyoubutseeyourselfwhereIhaveplacedyou，betweentheVirginandGod，youmighthavesomeideaoftheagonyinwhichthenighthaspassed。ButIwouldnotoffendyoubyspeakingofit；foroneglancefromyoureyes，robbedofthetendersweetnesswhichismylife，wouldbefulloftortureforme，andIimploreyourclemencythereforeinadvance。Queenofmylifeandofmysoul，oh!thatyoucouldgrantmebutone-
thousandthpartoftheloveIbearyou!
“Thiswastheburdenofmyprayer；doubtworkedhavocinmysoulasIoscillatedbetweenbeliefanddespair，betweenlifeanddeath，darknessandlight。AcriminalwhoseverdicthangsinthebalanceisnotmorerackedwithsuspensethanI，asIowntomytemerity。Thesmileimagedonyourlips，towhichmyeyesturnedeverandagain，andaloneabletocalmthestormrousedbythedreadofdispleasingyou。Frommybirthnoone，notevenmymother，hassmiledonme。Thebeautifulyounggirlwhowasdesignedformerejectedmyheartandgaveherstomybrother。
Again，inpoliticsallmyeffortshavebeendefeated。IntheeyesofmykingIhavereadonlythirstforvengeance；fromchildhoodhehasbeenmyenemy，andthevoteoftheCorteswhichplacedmeinpowerwasregardedbyhimasapersonalinsult。
“Lessthanthismightbreeddespondencyinthestoutestheart。
Besides，Ihavenoillusion；Iknowthegracelessnessofmyperson，andamwellawarehowdifficultitistodojusticetotheheartwithinsoruggedashell。TobelovedhadceasedtobemorethanadreamtomewhenImetyou。ThuswhenIboundmyselftoyourserviceIknewthatdevotionalonecouldexcusemypassion。