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Scribe has depicted with such delicacy and wit？〃
Madame de Godollo did not answer immediately。 She lowered her eyelids；
and the deeper breathing of her bosom gave to her voice when she did
speak a tremulous tone：
〃The hatred of a woman！〃 she said。 〃Is a man of your stoicism able to
perceive it？〃
〃Ah！ yes； madame；〃 replied la Peyrade； 〃I do indeed perceive it； but
not to revolt against it； on the contrary； I bless the harshness that
deigns to hurt me。 Now that I know my beautiful and avowed enemy； I
shall not despair of touching her heart； for never again will I follow
any road but the one that she points out to me； never will I march
under any banner but hers。 I shall waitfor her inspiration； to
think； for her will； to will； for her commands； to act。 In all things
I will be her auxiliary；more than that； her slave； and if she still
repulses me with that dainty foot； that snowy hand； I will bear it
resignedly； asking； in return for such obedience one only favor；that
of kissing the foot that spurns me； of bathing with tears the hand
that threatens me。〃
During this long cry of the excited heart； which the joy of triumph
wrung from a nature so nervous and impressionable as that of the
Provencal； he had slidden from his chair； and now knelt with one knee
on the ground beside the countess； in the conventional attitude of the
stage； which is； however； much more common in real life than people
suppose。
〃Rise； monsieur；〃 said the countess； 〃and be so good as to answer me。〃
Then； giving him a questioning look from beneath her beautiful
frowning brows； she continued： 〃Have you well…weighed the outcome of
the words you have just uttered？ Have you measured the full extent of
your pledge； and its depth？ With your hand on your heart and on your
conscience； are you a man to fulfil those words？ Or are you one of the
falsely humble and perfidious men who throw themselves at our feet
only to make us lose the balance of our will and our reason？〃
〃I！〃 exclaimed la Peyrade； 〃never can I react against the fascination
you have wielded over me from the moment of our first interview！ Ah！
madame； the more I have resisted； the more I have struggled； the more
you ought to trust in my sincerity and its tardy expression。 What I
have said； I think； that which I think aloud to…day I have thought in
my soul since the hour when I first had the honor of admittance to
you； and the many days I have passed in struggling against this
allurement have ended in giving me a firm and deliberate will； which
understands itself； and is not cast down by your severity。〃
〃Severity？〃 said the countess； 〃possibly。 But you ought to think of
the kindness too。 Question yourself carefully。 We foreign women do not
understand the careless ease with which a Frenchwoman enters upon a
solemn engagement。 To us； our YES is sacred； our word is a bond。 We do
and we will nothing by halves。 The arms of my family bear a motto
which seems significant under the present circumstances；'All or
Nothing'； that is saying much； and yet； perhaps； not enough。〃
〃That is how I understand my pledge；〃 replied la Peyrade； 〃and on
leaving this room my first step will be to break with that ignoble
past which for an instant I seemed to hold in the balance against the
intoxicating future you do not forbid me to expect。〃
〃No；〃 said the countess； 〃do it calmly and advisedly； I do not like
rash conduct； you will not please me by taking open steps。 These
Thuilliers are not really bad at heart； they humiliated you without
knowing that they did so； their world is not yours。 Is that their
fault？ Loosen the tie between you； but do not violently break it。 And；
above all； reflect。 Your conversion to my beliefs is of recent date。
What man is certain of what his heart will say to him to…morrow？〃
〃Madame；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃I am that man。 We men of Southern blood do
not love as you say a Frenchwoman loves。〃
〃But；〃 said the countess； with a charming smile； 〃I thought it was
hatred we were talking of。〃
〃Ah； madame；〃 cried the barrister； 〃explained and understood as it has
been； that word is still a thing that hurts me。 Tell me rather； not
that you love me； but that the words you deigned to say to me at our
first interview were indeed the expression of your thoughts。〃
〃My friend；〃 said the countess； dwelling on the word； 〃one of your
moralists has said： 'There are persons who say； THAT IS or THAT IS
NOT。' Do me the favor to count me among such persons。〃
So saying； she held out her hand to her suitor with a charming gesture
of modesty and grace。 La Peyrade； quite beside himself； darted upon
that beautiful hand and devoured it with kisses。
〃Enough； child！〃 said the countess； gently freeing her imprisoned
fingers； 〃adieu now； soon to meet again！ Adieu！ My headache； I think；
has disappeared。〃
La Peyrade picked up his hat； and seemed about to rush from the
apartment； but at the door he turned and cast upon the handsome
creature a look of tenderness。 The countess made him； with her head； a
graceful gesture of adieu； then； seeing that la Peyrade was inclined
to return to her； she raised her forefinger as a warning to control
himself and go。
La Peyrade turned and left the apartment。
CHAPTER VII
HOW TO SHUT THE DOOR IN PEOPLE'S FACES
On the staircase la Peyrade stopped to exhale； if we may so express
it； the happiness of which his heart was full。 The words of the
countess； the ingenious preparation she had made to put him on the
track of her sentiments； seemed to him the guarantee of her sincerity；
and he left her full of faith。
Possessed by that intoxication of happy persons which shows itself in
their gestures； their looks； their very gait； and sometimes in actions
not authorized by their common…sense； after pausing a moment； as we
have said； on the staircase； he ran up a few steps till he could see
the door of the Thuilliers' apartment。
〃At last！〃 he cried； 〃fame； fortune； happiness have come to me； but；
above all； I can now give myself the joy of vengeance。 After Dutocq
and Cerizet； I will crush YOU； vile bourgeois brood！〃
So saying； he shook his fist at the innocent door。 Then he turned and
ran out； the popular saying that the earth could not hold him； was
true at that moment of his being。
The next day； for he could not restrain any longer the tempest that
was swelling within him； la Peyrade went to see Thuillier in the
bitterest and most hostile of moods。 What was therefore his amazement
when； before he had time to put himself on guard and stop the
demonstration of union and oblivion； Thuillier flung himself into his
arms。
〃My friend；〃 cried the municipal councillor； as he loosened his clasp；
〃my political fortune is made； this morning all the newspapers；
without exception； have spoken of the seizure of my pamphlet； and you
ought to see how the opposition sheets have mauled the government。〃
〃Simple enough；〃 said la Peyrade； not moved by this enthusiasm； 〃you
are a topic for them； that's all。 But this does not alter the
situation； the prosecution will be only the more determined to have
you condemned。〃
〃Well； then；〃 said Thuillier； proudly raising his head； 〃I will go to
prison； like Beranger； like Lamennais； like Armand Carrel。〃
〃My good fellow； persecution is charming at a distance； but when you
hear the big bolts run upon you； you may be sure you won't like it as
well。〃
〃But；〃 objected Thuillier； 〃prisoners condemned for political offences
are always allowed to do their time in hospital if they like。 Besides；
I'm not yet convicted。 You said yourself you expected to get me
acquitted。〃
〃Yes； but since then I have heard things which make that result very
doubtful； the same hand that withheld your cross has seized your
pamphlet； you are being murdered with premeditation。〃
〃If you know who that dangerous enemy is；〃 said Thuillier； 〃you can't
refuse to point him out to me。〃
〃I don't know him；〃 replied la Peyrade； 〃I only suspect him。 This is
what you get by playing too shrewd a game。〃
〃Playing a shrewd game！〃 said Thuillier； with the curiosity of a man
who is perfectly aware that he has nothing of that kind on his
conscience。
〃Yes；〃 said la Peyrade； 〃you made a sort of decoy of Celeste to
attract young bloods to your salon。 All the world has not the
forbearance of Monsieur Godeschal； who forgave his rejection and
generously managed that affair about the house。〃
〃Explain yourself better；〃 said Thuillier； 〃for I don't see what you
mean。〃
〃Nothing is easier to understand。 Without counting me； how many
suitors have you had for Mademoiselle Colleville？ Godeschal； Minard
junior； Phellion junior； Olivier Vinet； the substitute judge；all men
who have been sent about their business； as I am。〃
〃Olivier Vinet； the substitute judge！〃 cried Thuillier； struck with a
flash of light。 〃Of course； the blow must have come from him。 His
father； they say； has a long arm。 But it can't be truly said that we
sent him about his business；to use your expression； which strikes me
as indecorous；for he never came to the house but once； and made no
offer； neither did Minard junior or Phellion junior； for that matter。
Godeschal is the only one who risked a d