Yes，returned。HowandwhyshouldIdoubtitforaninstant。WhatotherconstructioncouldIpossiblyputuponsuchconduct，onthepartofaladysobeautifulsowealthyevidentlysoaccomplishedofsohighbreedingofsoloftyapositioninsocietyineveryregardsoentirelyrespectableasIfeltassuredwasMadameLalande？Yes，shelovedmeshereturnedtheenthusiasmofmylove，withanenthusiasmasblindasuncompromisingasuncalculatingasabandonedandasutterlyunboundedasmyown！
Thesedeliciousfanciesandreflections，however，werenowinterruptedbythefallingofthedrop-curtain。Theaudiencearose；
andtheusualtumultimmediatelysupervened。QuittingTalbotabruptly，ImadeeveryefforttoforcemywayintocloserproximitywithMadameLalande。Havingfailedinthis，onaccountofthecrowd，Iatlengthgaveupthechase，andbentmystepshomeward；consolingmyselfformydisappointmentinnothavingbeenabletotoucheventhehemofherrobe，bythereflectionthatIshouldbeintroducedbyTalbot，indueform，uponthemorrow。
Thismorrowatlastcame，thatistosay，adayfinallydawneduponalongandwearynightofimpatience；andthenthehoursuntil“one“
weresnail-paced，dreary，andinnumerable。ButevenStamboul，itissaid，shallhaveanend，andtherecameanendtothislongdelay。
Theclockstruck。Asthelastechoceased，IsteppedintoB’sandinquiredforTalbot。
“Out。”saidthefootmanTalbot’sown。
“Out！”Ireplied，staggeringbackhalfadozenpaces“letmetellyou，myfinefellow，thatthisthingisthoroughlyimpossibleandimpracticable；Mr。Talbotisnotout。Whatdoyoumean？”
“Nothing，sir；onlyMr。Talbotisnotin，that’sall。HerodeovertoS，immediatelyafterbreakfast，andleftwordthathewouldnotbeintownagainforaweek。”
Istoodpetrifiedwithhorrorandrage。Iendeavoredtoreply，butmytonguerefuseditsoffice。AtlengthIturnedonmyheel，lividwithwrath，andinwardlyconsigningthewholetribeoftheTalbotstotheinnermostregionsofErebus。Itwasevidentthatmyconsideratefriend，ilfanatico，hadquiteforgottenhisappointmentwithmyselfhadforgottenitassoonasitwasmade。Atnotimewasheaveryscrupulousmanofhisword。Therewasnohelpforit；sosmotheringmyvexationaswellasIcould，Istrolledmoodilyupthestreet，propoundingfutileinquiriesaboutMadameLalandetoeverymaleacquaintanceImet。Byreportshewasknown，Ifound，toall-tomanybysightbutshehadbeenintownonlyafewweeks，andtherewereveryfew，therefore，whoclaimedherpersonalacquaintance。Thesefew，beingstillcomparativelystrangers，couldnot，orwouldnot，takethelibertyofintroducingmethroughtheformalityofamorningcall。WhileIstoodthusindespair，conversingwithatriooffriendsupontheallabsorbingsubjectofmyheart，itsohappenedthatthesubjectitselfpassedby。
“AsIlive，theresheis！”criedone。
“Surprisinglybeautiful！”exclaimedasecond。
“Anangeluponearth！”ejaculatedathird。
Ilooked；andinanopencarriagewhichapproachedus，passingslowlydownthestreet，sattheenchantingvisionoftheopera，accompaniedbytheyoungerladywhohadoccupiedaportionofherbox。
“Hercompanionalsowearsremarkablywell。”saidtheoneofmytriowhohadspokenfirst。
“Astonishingly。”saidthesecond；“stillquiteabrilliantair，butartwilldowonders。Uponmyword，shelooksbetterthanshedidatParisfiveyearsago。Abeautifulwomanstill；don’tyouthinkso，Froissart？Simpson，Imean。”
“Still！”saidI，“andwhyshouldn’tshebe？Butcomparedwithherfriendsheisasarushlighttotheeveningstaraglow
wormtoAntares。
“Ha！ha！ha！why，Simpson，youhaveanastonishingtactatmakingdiscoveriesoriginalones，Imean。”Andhereweseparated，whileoneofthetriobeganhummingagayvaudeville，ofwhichIcaughtonlythelines-
Ninon，Ninon，Ninonabas-
AbasNinonDeL’Enclos！
Duringthislittlescene，however，onethinghadservedgreatlytoconsoleme，althoughitfedthepassionbywhichIwasconsumed。AsthecarriageofMadameLalanderolledbyourgroup，Ihadobservedthatsherecognizedme；andmorethanthis，shehadblessedme，bythemostseraphicofallimaginablesmiles，withnoequivocalmarkoftherecognition。
Asforanintroduction，IwasobligedtoabandonallhopeofituntilsuchtimeasTalbotshouldthinkpropertoreturnfromthecountry。
InthemeantimeIperseveringlyfrequentedeveryreputableplaceofpublicamusement；and，atlength，atthetheatre，whereIfirstsawher，Ihadthesupremeblissofmeetingher，andofexchangingglanceswithheronceagain。Thisdidnotoccur，however，untilthelapseofafortnight。Everyday，intheinterim，IhadinquiredforTalbotathishotel，andeverydayhadbeenthrownintoaspasmofwrathbytheeverlasting“Notcomehomeyet“ofhisfootman。
Upontheeveninginquestion，therefore，Iwasinaconditionlittleshortofmadness。MadameLalande，Ihadbeentold，wasaParisian
hadlatelyarrivedfromParismightshenotsuddenlyreturn？
returnbeforeTalbotcamebackandmightshenotbethuslosttomeforever？Thethoughtwastooterribletobear。Sincemyfuturehappinesswasatissue，Iresolvedtoactwithamanlydecision。Inaword，uponthebreakingupoftheplay，Itracedtheladytoherresidence，notedtheaddress，andthenextmorningsentherafullandelaborateletter，inwhichIpouredoutmywholeheart。
Ispokeboldly，freelyinaword，Ispokewithpassion。I
concealednothingnothingevenofmyweakness。Ialludedtotheromanticcircumstancesofourfirstmeetingeventotheglanceswhichhadpassedbetweenus。IwentsofarastosaythatIfeltassuredofherlove；whileIofferedthisassurance，andmyownintensityofdevotion，astwoexcusesformyotherwiseunpardonableconduct。Asathird，IspokeofmyfearthatshemightquitthecitybeforeIcouldhavetheopportunityofaformalintroduction。I
concludedthemostwildlyenthusiasticepistleeverpenned，withafrankdeclarationofmyworldlycircumstancesofmyaffluence
andwithanofferofmyheartandofmyhand。
InanagonyofexpectationIawaitedthereply。Afterwhatseemedthelapseofacenturyitcame。
Yes，actuallycame。Romanticasallthismayappear，IreallyreceivedaletterfromMadameLalandethebeautiful，thewealthy，theidolizedMadameLalande。Hereyeshermagnificenteyes，hadnotbeliedhernobleheart。LikeatrueFrenchwomanasshewasshehadobeyedthefrankdictatesofherreasonthegenerousimpulsesofhernaturedespisingtheconventionalpruderiesoftheworld。
Shehadnotscornedmyproposals。Shehadnotshelteredherselfinsilence。Shehadnotreturnedmyletterunopened。Shehadevensentme，inreply，onepennedbyherownexquisitefingers。Itranthus：
“MonsieurSimpsonvillpardonnemefornotcomposedebutefulletongofhiscontreesovellasmight。ItisonlydelatedatIamarrive，andnotyetavedoopportunitefortol’etudier。
“Viddisapologieforthemaniere，Ivillnowsaydat，helas！-
MonsieurSimpsonaveguessbutdetootrue。NeedIsaydemore？
Helas！amInotreadyspeakdetoomoshe？
“EUGENIELALAND。”
ThisnoblespiritednoteIkissedamilliontimes，andcommitted，nodoubt，onitsaccount，athousandotherextravagancesthathavenowescapedmymemory。StillTalbotwouldnotreturn。Alas！couldhehaveformedeventhevaguestideaofthesufferinghisabsencehadoccasionedhisfriend，wouldnothissympathizingnaturehaveflownimmediatelytomyrelief？Still，however，hecamenot。Iwrote。Hereplied。Hewasdetainedbyurgentbusinessbutwouldshortlyreturn。HebeggedmenottobeimpatienttomoderatemytransportstoreadsoothingbookstodrinknothingstrongerthanHock
andtobringtheconsolationsofphilosophytomyaid。Thefool！ifhecouldnotcomehimself，why，inthenameofeverythingrational，couldhenothaveenclosedmealetterofpresentation？Iwrotehimagain，entreatinghimtoforwardoneforthwith。Myletterwasreturnedbythatfootman，withthefollowingendorsementinpencil。
Thescoundrelhadjoinedhismasterinthecountry：
“LeftS-yesterday，forpartsunknowndidnotsaywhereorwhenbebacksothoughtbesttoreturnletter，knowingyourhandwriting，andashowyouisalways，moreorless，inahurry。
“Yourssincerely，“STUBBS。”
Afterthis，itisneedlesstosay，thatIdevotedtotheinfernaldeitiesbothmasterandvalet：buttherewaslittleuseinanger，andnoconsolationatallincomplaint。
ButIhadyetaresourceleft，inmyconstitutionalaudacity。
Hithertoithadservedmewell，andInowresolvedtomakeitavailmetotheend。Besides，afterthecorrespondencewhichhadpassedbetweenus，whatactofmereinformalitycouldIcommit，withinbounds，thatoughttoberegardedasindecorousbyMadameLalande？
Sincetheaffairoftheletter，Ihadbeeninthehabitofwatchingherhouse，andthusdiscoveredthat，abouttwilight，itwashercustomtopromenade，attendedonlybyanegroinlivery，inapublicsquareoverlookedbyherwindows。Here，amidtheluxuriantandshadowinggroves，inthegraygloomofasweetmidsummerevening，I
observedmyopportunityandaccostedher。
Thebettertodeceivetheservantinattendance，Ididthiswiththeassuredairofanoldandfamiliaracquaintance。WithapresenceofmindtrulyParisian，shetookthecueatonce，and，togreetme，heldoutthemostbewitchinglylittleofhands。Thevaletatoncefellintotherear，andnow，withheartsfulltooverflowing，wediscoursedlongandunreservedlyofourlove。
AsMadameLalandespokeEnglishevenlessfluentlythanshewroteit，ourconversationwasnecessarilyinFrench。Inthissweettongue，soadaptedtopassion，Igaveloosetotheimpetuousenthusiasmofmynature，and，withalltheeloquenceIcouldcommand，besoughthertoconsenttoanimmediatemarriage。
Atthisimpatienceshesmiled。Sheurgedtheoldstoryofdecorum-
thatbug-bearwhichdeterssomanyfromblissuntiltheopportunityforblisshasforevergoneby。Ihadmostimprudentlymadeitknownamongmyfriends，sheobserved，thatIdesiredheracquaintance-thusthatIdidnotpossessitthus，again，therewasnopossibilityofconcealingthedateofourfirstknowledgeofeachother。Andthensheadverted，withablush，totheextremerecencyofthisdate。Towedimmediatelywouldbeimproperwouldbeindecorouswouldbeoutre。Allthisshesaidwithacharmingairofnaivetewhichenrapturedwhileitgrievedandconvincedme。Shewentevensofarastoaccuseme，laughingly，ofrashnessofimprudence。ShebademerememberthatIreallyevenknownotwhoshewaswhatwereherprospects，herconnections，herstandinginsociety。Shebeggedme，butwithasigh，toreconsidermyproposal，andtermedmyloveaninfatuationawillo’thewispafancyorfantasyofthemomentabaselessandunstablecreationratheroftheimaginationthanoftheheart。Thesethingssheutteredastheshadowsofthesweettwilightgathereddarklyandmoredarklyaroundusandthen，withagentlepressureofherfairy-likehand，overthrew，inasinglesweetinstant，alltheargumentativefabricshehadreared。
IrepliedasbestIcouldasonlyatruelovercan。Ispokeatlength，andperseveringlyofmydevotion，ofmypassionofherexceedingbeauty，andofmyownenthusiasticadmiration。Inconclusion，Idwelt，withaconvincingenergy，upontheperilsthatencompassthecourseoflovethatcourseoftruelovethatneverdidrunsmoothandthusdeducedthemanifestdangerofrenderingthatcourseunnecessarilylong。
Thislatterargumentseemedfinallytosoftentherigorofherdetermination。Sherelented；buttherewasyetanobstacle，shesaid，whichshefeltassuredIhadnotproperlyconsidered。Thiswasadelicatepointforawomantourge，especiallyso；inmentioningit，shesawthatshemustmakeasacrificeofherfeelings；still，forme，everysacrificeshouldbemade。Shealludedtothetopicofage。WasIawarewasIfullyawareofthediscrepancybetweenus？
Thattheageofthehusband，shouldsurpassbyafewyearsevenbyfifteenortwentytheageofthewife，wasregardedbytheworldasadmissible，and，indeed，asevenproper，butshehadalwaysentertainedthebeliefthattheyearsofthewifeshouldneverexceedinnumberthoseofthehusband。Adiscrepancyofthisunnaturalkindgaverise，toofrequently，alas！toalifeofunhappiness。Nowshewasawarethatmyownagedidnotexceedtwoandtwenty；andI，onthecontrary，perhaps，wasnotawarethattheyearsofmyEugenieextendedveryconsiderablybeyondthatsum。