Youneverscrupletousethepowerwhichhislovehasplacedinyourhand。Yourpositionofvantagemaybereadinagesture，alook，atone。Oh!darling，howtrulyareyouthemadwantonyourmothercalledyou!Youdonotquestion，Ifancy，thatIamgreatlyLouis’superior。
Well，Iwouldaskyou，haveyoueverheardmecontradicthim？AmInotalways，inthepresenceofothers，thewifewhorespectsinhimtheauthorityofthefamily？Hypocrisy!youwillsay。Well，listentome。
ItistruethatifIwanttogivehimanyadvicewhichIthinkmaybeofusetohim，IwaitforthequietandseclusionofourbedroomtoexplainwhatIthinkandwish；but，Iassureyou，sweetheart，thateventhereIneverarrogatetomyselftheplaceofmentor。IfIdidnotremaininprivatethesamesubmissivewifethatIappeartoothers，hewouldloseconfidenceinhimself。Dear，thegoodwedotoothersisspoiltunlessweeffaceourselvessocompletelythatthosewehelphavenosenseofinferiority。Thereisawonderfulsweetnessinthesehiddensacrifices，andwhatatriumphformeinyourunsuspectingpraisesofLouis!Therecanbenodoubtalsothatthehappiness，thecomfort，thehopeofthelasttwoyearshaverestoredwhatmisfortune，hardship，solitude，anddespondencyhasrobbedhimof。
This，then，isthesum-totalofmyobservations。AtthepresentmomentyouloveinFelipe，notyourhusband，butyourself。Thereistruthinyourfather’swords；concealedbythespring-flowersofyourpassionliesallthegreatlady’sselfishness。Ah!mychild，howImustloveyoutospeaksuchbittertruths!
Letmetellyou，ifyouwillpromisenevertobreatheawordofthistotheBaron，theendofourtalk。Wehadbeensingingyourpraisesineverykey，forhesoondiscoveredthatIlovedyoulikeafondly-
cherishedsister，andhavinginsensiblybroughthimtoaconfidentialmood，Iventuredtosay：
“Louisehasneveryethadtostrugglewithlife。Shehasbeenthespoiltchildoffortune，andshemightyethavetopayforthiswereyounottheretoactthepartoffatheraswellaslover。“
“Ah!butisitpossible？……“Hebrokeoffabruptly，likeamanwhoseeshimselfontheedgeofaprecipice。Buttheexclamationwasenoughforme。Nodoubt，ifyouhadstayed，hewouldhavespokenmorefreelylater。
Mysweet，thinkofthedayawaitingyouwhenyourhusband’sstrengthwillbeexhausted，whenpleasurewillhaveturnedtosatiety，andheseeshimself，Iwillnotsaydegraded，butshornofhisproperdignitybeforeyou。Thestingsofconsciencewillthenwakenasortofremorseinhim，allthemorepainfulforyou，becauseyouwillfeelyourselfresponsible，andyouwillendbydespisingthemanwhomyouhavenotaccustomedyourselftorespect。Remember，too，thatscornwithawomanisonlytheearliestphaseofhatred。Youaretoonobleandgenerous，Iknow，evertoforgetthesacrificeswhichFelipehasmadeforyou；
butwhatfurthersacrificeswillbeleftforhimtomakewhenhehas，sotospeak，serveduphimselfatthefirstbanquet？Woetotheman，astothewoman，whohasleftnodesireunsatisfied!Allisoverthen。
Toourshameorourglory——thepointistooniceformetodecide——itisoflovealonethatwomenareinsatiable。
Oh!Louise，changeyet，whilethereisstilltime。IfyouwouldonlyadoptthesamecoursewithMacumerthatIhavedonewithl’Estorade，youmightrousethesleepinglioninyourhusband，whoismadeofthestuffofheroes。Onemightalmostsaythatyougrudgehimhisgreatness。Wouldyoufeelnoprideinusingyourpowerforotherendsthanyourowngratification，inawakeningthegeniusofagiftedman，asIinraisingtoahigherleveloneofmerelycommonparts？
Hadyouremainedwithus，Ishouldstillhavewrittenthisletter，forintalkingyoumighthavecutmeshortorgotthebetterofmewithyoursharptongue。ButIknowthatyouwillreadthisthoughtfullyandweighmywarnings。Dearheart，youhaveeverythinginlifetomakeyouhappy，donotspoilyourchances；returntoParis，Ientreatyou，assoonasMacumercomesback。Theengrossingclaimsofsociety，ofwhichIcomplained，arenecessaryforbothofyou；otherwiseyouwouldspendyourlifeinmutualself-absorption。Amarriedwomanoughtnottobetoolavishofherself。Themotherofafamily，whonevergivesherhouseholdanopportunityofmissingher，runstheriskofpallingonthem。IfIhaveseveralchildren，asItrustformyownsakeImay，I
assureyouIshallmakeapointofreservingtomyselfcertainhourswhichshallbeheldsacred；eventoone’schildrenone’spresenceshouldnotbeamatterofdailybread。
Farewell，mydearjealoussoul!Doyouknowthatmanywomenwouldbehighlyflatteredathavingrousedthispassingpanginyou？Alas!I
canonlymourn，forwhatisnotmotherinmeisyourdearfriend。A
thousandloves。Makewhatexcuseyouwillforleaving；ifyouarenotsureofMacumer，IamofLouis。
THEBARONNEDEMACUMERTOTHEVICOMTESSEDEL’ESTORADE
Genoa。
Mybelovedbeauty，——IwasbittenwiththefancytoseesomethingofItaly，andIamdelightedathavingcarriedoffMacumer，whoseplansinregardtoSardiniaarepostponed。
Thiscountryissimpleravishing。Thechurches——aboveall，thechapels——haveaseductive，bewitchingair，whichmustmakeeveryfemaleProtestantyearnafterCatholicism。Macumerhasbeenreceivedwithacclamation，andtheyarealldelightedtohavemadeanItalianofsodistinguishedaman。FelipecouldhavetheSardinianembassyatParisifIcaredaboutit，forIammademuchofatcourt。
Ifyouwrite，addressyourletterstoFlorence。Ihavenottimenowtogointoanydetails，butIwilltellyouthestoryofourtravelswheneveryoucometoParis。Weonlyremainhereaweek，andthengoontoFlorence，takingLeghornontheway。WeshallstayamonthinTuscanyandamonthatNaples，soastoreachRomeinNovember。ThencewereturnhomebyVenice，whereweshallspendthefirstfortnightofDecember，andarriveinParis，/via/MilanandTurin，forJanuary。
Ourjourneyisaperfecthoneymoon；thesightofnewplacesgivesfreshlifetoourpassion。MacumerdidnotknowItalyatall，andwehavebegunwiththatsplendidCorniceroad，whichmightbetheworkoffairyarchitects。
Good-bye，darling。Don’tbeangryifIdon’twrite。Itisimpossibletogetaminutetooneselfintraveling；mywholetimeistakenupwithseeing，admiring，andrealizingmyimpressions。Butnotawordtoyouofthesetillmemoryhasgiventhemtheirproperatmosphere。
THEVICOMTESSEDEL’ESTORADETOTHEBARONNEDEMACUMER
September。
Mydear，——ThereislyingforyouatChantepleursafullreplytotheletteryouwrotemefromMarseilles。Thishoneymoonjourney，sofarfromdiminishingthefearsIthereexpressed，makesmebegofyoutogetmylettersentonfromNivernais。
TheGovernment，itissaid，areresolvedondissolution。ThisisunluckyfortheCrown，sincethelastsessionofthisloyalParliamentwouldhavebeendevotedtothepassingoflaws，essentialtotheconsolidationofitspower；anditisnotlesssoforus，asLouiswillnotbefortytilltheendof1827。Fortunately，however，myfatherhasagreedtostand，andhewillresignhisseatwhentherightmomentarrives。
Yourgodsonhasfoundouthowtowalkwithouthisgodmother’shelp。Heisaltogetherdelicious，andbeginstomaketheprettiestlittlesignstome，whichbringhometoonethathereisreallyathinkingbeing，notamereanimalorsuckingmachine。Hissmilesarefullofmeaning。
IhavebeensosuccessfulinmyprofessionofnursethatIshallweanArmandinDecember。Ayearatthebreastisquiteenough；childrenwhoaresuckledlongeraresaidtogrowstupid，andIamallforpopularsayings。
YoumustmakeatremendoussensationinItaly，myfaironewiththegoldenlocks。Athousandloves。
THEBARONNEDEMACUMERTOTHEVICOMTESSEDEL’ESTORADE
Youratrociousletterhasreachedmehere，thestewardhavingforwardeditbymyorders。Oh!Renee……butIwillspareyoutheoutburstofmywoundedfeelings，andsimplytellyoutheeffectyourletterproduced。
Wehadjustreturnedfromadelightfulreceptiongiveninourhonorbytheambassador，whereIappearedinallmyglory，andMacumerwascompletelycarriedawayinafrenzyoflovewhichIcouldnotdescribe。ThenIreadhimyourhorribleanswertomyletter，andI
readitsobbing，attheriskofmakingafrightofmyself。MydearArabfellatmyfeet，declaringthatyouraved。Thenhecarriedmeofftothebalconyofthepalacewherewearestaying，fromwhichwehaveaviewoverpartofthecity；therehespoketomewordsworthyofthemagnificentmoonlightscenewhichlaystretchedbeforeus。WebothspeakItaliannow，andhislove，toldinthatvoluptuoustongue，soadmirablyadaptedtotheexpressionofpassion，soundedinmyearslikethemostexquisitepoetry。Hesworethat，evenwereyourightinyourpredictions，hewouldnotexchangeforalifetimeasingleoneofourblessednightsorcharmingmornings。Atthisreckoninghehasalreadylivedathousandyears。Heiscontenttohavemeforhismistress，andwouldclaimnoothertitlethanthatoflover。Soproudandpleasedishetoseehimselfeverydaythechosenofmyheart，thatwereHeaventoofferhimthealternativebetweenlivingasyouwouldhaveustoforanotherthirtyyearswithfivechildren，andfiveyearsspentamidthedearrosesofourlove，hewouldnothesitate。Hewouldtakemylove，suchasitis，anddeath。
Whilehewaswhisperingthisinmyear，hisarmroundme，myheadrestingonhisshoulder，thecriesofabat，surprisedbyanowl，disturbedus。Thisdeath-crystruckmewithsuchterrorthatFelipecarriedmehalf-faintingtomybed。Butdon’tbealarmed!Thoughthisauguryofevilstillresoundsinmysoul，Iamquitemyselfthismorning。AssoonasIwasup，IwenttoFelipe，and，kneelingbeforehim，myeyesfixedonhis，hishandsclaspedinmine，Isaidtohim：——
“Mylove，Iamachild，andReneemayberightafterall。ItmaybeonlyyourlovethatIloveinyou；butatleastIcanassureyouthatthisistheonefeelingofmyheart，andthatIloveyouasitisgivenmetolove。Butiftherebeaughtinme，inmylightestthoughtordeed，whichjarsonyourwishesorconceptionofme，Iimploreyoutotellme，tosaywhatitis。Itwillbeajoytometohearyouandtotakeyoureyesastheguiding-starsofmylife。Reneehasfrightenedme，forsheisatruefriend。“
Macumercouldnotfindvoicetoreply，tearschokedhim。
Icanthankyounow，Renee。ButforyourletterIshouldnothaveknownthedepthsofloveinmynoble，kinglyMacumer。Romeisthecityoflove；itistherethatpassionshouldcelebrateitsfeast，withartandreligionasconfederates。
AtVeniceweshallfindtheDucandDuchessedeSoria。Ifyouwrite，addressnowtoParis，forweshallleaveRomeinthreedays。Theambassador’swasafarewellparty。
P。S——Dear，sillychild，yourletteronlyshowsthatyouknewnothingoflove，excepttheoretically。Learnthenthatloveisaquickeningforcewhichmayproducefruitssodiversethatnotheorycanembraceorco-ordinatethem。AwordthisformylittleProfessorwithherarmorofstays。