“Daysonly？“interruptedmymother。Then，withaglanceatmyfather，shecontinued，“Youhadbetterleaveus，mydear，tohaveourtalktogether。“
“Youaretobemarried，dearchild，“theDuchessthenbeganinalowvoice，“inthreedays。Itbecomesmyduty，therefore，withoutsillywhimpering，whichwouldbeunfittingourrankinlife，togiveyoutheseriousadvicewhicheverymotherowestoherdaughter。Youaremarryingamanwhomyoulove，andthereisnoreasonwhyIshouldpityyouormyself。Ihaveonlyknownyouforayear；andifthisperiodhasbeenlongenoughformetolearntoloveyou，itishardlysufficienttojustifyfloodsoftearsattheideaoflosingyou。Yourmentalgiftsareevenmoreremarkablethanthoseofyourperson；youhavegratifiedmaternalpride，andhaveshownyourselfasweetandlovingdaughter。I，inmyturn，canpromiseyouthatyouwillalwaysfindastaunchfriendinyourmother。Yousmile？Alas!ittoooftenhappensthatamotherwhohaslivedonexcellenttermswithherdaughter，aslongasthedaughterisameregirl，comestocrosspurposeswithherwhentheyarebothwomentogether。
“ItisyourhappinesswhichIwant，solistentomywords。Thelovewhichyounowfeelisthatofayounggirl，andisnaturaltousall，foritiswoman’sdestinytoclingtoaman。Unhappily，prettyone，thereisbutonemanintheworldforawoman!Andsometimesthisman，whomfatehasmarkedoutforus，isnottheonewhomwe，mistakingapassingfancyforlove，chooseashusband。StrangeaswhatIsaymayappeartoyou，itisworthnoting。Ifwecannotlovethemanwehavechosen，thefaultisnotexclusivelyours，itlieswithboth，orsometimeswithcircumstancesoverwhichwehavenocontrol。Yetthereisnoreasonwhythemanchosenforusbyourfamily，themantowhomourfancyhasgoneout，shouldnotbethemanwhomwecanlove。Thebarrierswhichariselaterbetweenhusbandandwifeareoftenduetolackofperseveranceonbothsides。Thetaskoftransformingahusbandintoaloverisnotlessdelicatethanthatothertaskofmakingahusbandofthelover，inwhichyouhavejustprovedyourselfmarvelouslysuccessful。
“Irepeatit，yourhappinessismyobject。Neverallowyourself，then，toforgetthatthefirstthreemonthsofyourmarriedlifemayworkyourmiseryifyoudonotsubmittotheyokewiththesameforbearance，tenderness，andintelligencethatyouhaveshownduringthedaysofcourtship。For，mylittlerogue，youknowverywellthatyouhaveindulgedinalltheinnocentpleasuresofaclandestineloveaffair。Iftheculminationofyourlovebeginswithdisappointment，dislike，nay，evenwithpain，well，comeandtellmeaboutit。Don’thopefortoomuchfrommarriageatfirst；itwillperhapsgiveyoumorediscomfortthanjoy。Thehappinessofyourliferequiresatleastaspatientcherishingastheearlyshootsoflove。
“Toconclude，ifbychanceyoushouldlosethelover，youwillfindinhisplacethefatherofyourchildren。Inthis，mydearchild，liesthewholesecretofsociallife。Sacrificeeverythingtothemanwhosenameyoubear，themanwhosehonorandreputationcannotsufferintheleastdegreewithoutinvolvingyouinfrightfulconsequences。Suchsacrificeisthusnotonlyanabsolutedutyforwomenofourrank，itisalsotheirwisestpolicy。This，indeed，isthedistinctivemarkofgreatmoralprinciples，thattheyholdgoodandareexpedientfromwhateveraspecttheyareviewed。ButIneedsaynomoretoyouonthispoint。
“Ifancyyouareofajealousdisposition，and，mydear，ifyouknewhowjealousIam!Butyoumustnotbestupidoverit。Topublishyourjealousytotheworldislikeplayingatpoliticswithyourcardsuponthetable，andthosewholettheirowngamebeseenlearnnothingoftheiropponents’。Whateverhappens，wemustknowhowtosufferinsilence。“
SheaddedthatsheintendedhavingsomeplaintalkaboutmewithMacumertheeveningbeforethewedding。
Raisingmymother’sbeautifularm，Ikissedherhandanddroppedonitatear，whichthetoneofrealfeelinginhervoicehadbroughttomyeyes。Intheadviceshehadgivenme，Ireadhighprincipleworthyofherselfandofme，truewisdom，andatendernessofheartunspoiltbythenarrowcodeofsociety。Aboveall，Isawthatsheunderstoodmycharacter。Thesefewsimplewordssummedupthelessonswhichlifeandexperiencehadbroughther，perhapsataheavyprice。Shewasmoved，andsaid，asshelookedatme：
“Dearlittlegirl，you’vegotanastycrossingbeforeyou。Andmostwomen，intheirignoranceortheirdisenchantment，areaswiseastheEarlofWestmoreland!“
Webothlaughed；butImustexplainthejoke。Theeveningbefore，aRussianprincesshadtoldusananecdoteofthisgentleman。Hehadsufferedfrightfullyfromsea-sicknessincrossingtheChannel，andturnedtailwhenhegotnearItaly，becausehehadheardsomeonespeakof“crossing“theAlps。“Thankyou；I’vehadquiteenoughcrossingsalready，“hesaid。
Youwillunderstand，Renee，thatyourgloomyphilosophyandmymother’slecturewerecalculatedtorevivethefearswhichusedtodisturbusatBlois。Thenearermarriageapproached，themoredidI
needtosummonallmystrength，myresolution，andmyaffectiontofacethisterriblepassagefrommaidenhoodtowomanhood。Allourconversationscamebacktomymind，Ire-readyourlettersanddiscernedinthemavagueundertoneofsadness。
Thisanxietyhadoneadvantageatleast；ithelpedmetotheregulationexpressionforabrideascommonlydepicted。TheconsequencewasthatonthedayofsigningthecontracteverybodysaidIlookedcharmingandquitetherightthing。Thismorning，attheMairie，itwasaninformalbusiness，andonlythewitnesseswerepresent。
Iamwritingthistailtomyletterwhiletheyareputtingoutmydressfordinner。WeshallbemarriedatmidnightattheChurchofSainte-Valere，afteraverygayevening。Iconfessthatmyfearsgivemeamartyr-likeandmodestairtowhichIhavenoright，butwhichwillbeadmired——why，Icannotconceive。IamdelightedtoseethatpoorFelipeiseverywhitastimorousasIam；societygratesonhim，heislikeabatinaglassshop。
“ThankHeaven，thedaywon’tlastforever!“hewhisperedtomeinallinnocence。
Inhisbashfulnessandtimidityhewouldhavelikedtohavenoonethere。
TheSardinianambassador，whenhecametosignthecontract，tookmeasideinordertopresentmewithapearlnecklace，linkedtogetherbysixsplendiddiamonds——agiftfrommysister-in-law，theDuchessdeSoria。Alongwiththenecklacewasasapphirebracelet，ontheundersideofwhichwereengravedthewords，“/Thoughunknown，beloved/。“
Twocharmingletterscamewiththesepresents，which，however，IcouldnotacceptwithoutconsultingFelipe。
“For，“Isaid，“Ishouldnotliketoseeyouwearingornamentsthatcamefromanyonebutme。“
Hekissedmyhand，quitemoved，andreplied：
“Wearthemforthesakeoftheinscription，andalsoforthekindfeeling，whichissincere。“
Saturdayevening。
Here，then，mypoorRenee，arethelastwordsofyourgirlfriend。
AfterthemidnightMass，wesetoffforanestatewhichFelipe，withkindthoughtforme，hasboughtinNivernais，onthewaytoProvence。
AlreadymynameisLouisedeMacumer，butIleaveParisinafewhoursasLouisedeChaulieu。HoweverIamcalled，therewillneverbeforyoubutoneLouise。
XXVII
THESAMETOTHESAME
October。
Ihavenotwrittentoyou，dear，sinceourmarriage，nearlyeightmonthsago。Andnotalinefromyou!Madame，youareinexcusable。
Tobeginwith，wesetoffinapost-chaisefortheCastleofChantepleurs，thepropertywhichMacumerhasboughtinNivernais。ItstandsonthebanksoftheLoire，sixtyleaguesfromParis。Ourservants，withtheexceptionofmymaid，weretherebeforeus，andwearrived，afteraveryrapidjourney，thenextevening。IsleptallthewayfromParistobeyondMontargis。Mylordandmasterputhisarmroundmeandpillowedmyheadonhisshoulder，uponanarrangementofhandkerchiefs。Thiswastheonelibertyhetook；andthealmostmotherlytendernesswhichgotthebetterofhisdrowsiness，touchedmestrangely。Ifellasleepthenunderthefireofhiseyes，andawoketofindthemstillblazing；thepassionategazeremainedunchanged，butwhatthoughtshadcomeandgonemeanwhile!Twicehehadkissedmeontheforehead。
AtBriarewehadbreakfastinthecarriage。ThenfollowedatalklikeouroldtalksatBlois，whilethesameLoireweusedtoadmirecalledforthourpraises，andathalf-pastsevenweenteredthenoblelongavenueoflime-trees，acacias，sycamores，andlarcheswhichleadstoChantepleurs。Ateightwedined；attenwewereinourbedroom，acharmingGothicroom，madecomfortablewitheverymodernluxury。
Felipe，whoisthoughtsougly，seemedtomequitebeautifulinhisgracefulkindnessandtheexquisitedelicacyofhisaffection。Ofpassion，notatrace。Allthroughthejourneyhemighthavebeenanoldfriendoffifteenyears’standing。Later，hehasdescribedtome，withallthevividtouchesofhisfirstletter，thefuriousstormsthatragedwithinandwerenotallowedtoruffletheoutersurface。
“Sofar，Ihavefoundnothingveryterribleinmarriage，“Isaid，asI
walkedtothewindowandlookedoutonthegloriousmoonwhichlitupacharmingpark，breathingofheavyscents。
Hedrewnear，puthisarmagainroundme，andsaid：
“Whyfearit？HaveIeveryetprovedfalsetomypromiseingestureorlook？WhyshouldIbefalseinthefuture？“
Yetneverwerewordsorglancesmorefullofmastery；hisvoicethrilledeveryfibreofmyheartandrousedasleepingforce；hiseyeswerelikethesuninpower。
“Oh!“Iexclaimed，“whataworldofMoorishperfidyinthisattitudeofperpetualprostration!“
Heunderstood，mydear。
So，myfairsweetheart，ifIhaveletmonthsslipbywithoutwriting，youcannowdivinethecause。Ihavetorecallthegirl’sstrangepastinordertoexplainthewomantomyself。Renee，Iunderstandyounow。
Nottoherdearestfriend，nottohermother，not，perhaps，eventoherself，canahappybridespeakofherhappiness。Thismemoryoughttoremainabsolutelyherown，anaddedrapture——athingbeyondwords，toosacredfordisclosure!
Isitpossiblethatthenameofdutyhasbeengiventothedeliciousfrenzyoftheheart，totheoverwhelmingrushofpassion？Andforwhatpurpose？Whatmalevolentpowerconceivedtheideaofcrushingawoman’ssensitivedelicacyandallthethousandwilesofhermodestyunderthefettersofconstraint？Whatsenseofdutycanforcefromhertheseflowersoftheheart，therosesoflife，thepassionatepoetryofhernature，apartfromlove？Toclaimfeelingasaright!Why，itbloomsofitselfunderthesunoflove，andshrivelstodeathunderthecoldblastofdistasteandaversion!Letloveguardhisownrights!
Oh!mynobleRenee!Iunderstandyounow。Ibowtoyourgreatness，amazedatthedepthandclearnessofyourinsight。Yes，thewomanwhohasnotusedthemarriageceremony，asIhavedone，merelytolegalizeandpublishthesecretelectionofherheart，hasnothingleftbuttoflytomotherhood。Whenearthfails，thesoulmakesforheaven!
Onehardtruthemergesfromallthatyouhavesaid。Onlymenwhoarereallygreatknowhowtolove，andnowIunderstandthereasonofthis。Manobeystwoforces——onesensual，onespiritual。Weakorinferiormenmistakethefirstforthelast，whilstgreatsoulsknowhowtoclothethemerelynaturalinstinctinallthegracesofthespirit。Theverystrengthofthisspiritualpassionimposessevereself-restraintandinspiresthemwithreverenceforwomen。Clearly，feelingissensitiveinproportiontothecalibreofthementalpowersgenerally，andthisiswhythemanofgeniusalonehassomethingofawoman’sdelicacy。Heunderstandsanddivineswoman，andthewingsofpassiononwhichheraisesherarerestrainedbythetimidityofthesensitivespirit。Butwhenthemind，theheart，andthesensesallhavetheirshareintherapturewhichtransportsus——ah!thenthereisnofallingtoearth，ratheritistoheavenwesoar，alas!foronlytoobriefavisit。
Such，dearsoul，isthephilosophyofthefirstthreemonthsofmymarriedlife。Felipeisangelic。Withoutfigureofspeech，heisanotherself，andIcanthinkaloudwithhim。Hisgreatnessofsoulpassesmycomprehension。Possessiononlyattacheshimmorecloselytome，andhediscoversinhishappinessnewmotivesforlovingme。Forhim，Iamthenoblerpartofhimself。Icanforeseethatyearsofweddedlife，farfromimpairinghisaffection，willonlymakeitmoreassured，developfreshpossibilitiesofenjoyment，andbindusinmoreperfectsympathy。Whatadeliriumofjoy!