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rong； dear friend； in making these unkind allusions to the past； for at this moment I am； more perhaps than you know； the obliged party。 Partly out of interest in me； but more because of the general aversion your brother…in…law's extreme haughtiness inspires； the democratic party has flocked to my door to make inquiries about my wound； and the talk and excitement about this duel have served me well； there is no doubt that my candidacy has gained much ground。 Therefore； I say； a truce to your gratitude； do you not see how much I owe to you？
X
DORLANGE TO MARIE…GASTON
Paris； April； 1839。
Dear Friend；For better or for worse； I continue my candidacy without a constituency to elect me。 This surprises my friends and worries me； for it is only a few weeks now to the general election； and if it happens that all this mysterious 〃preparation〃 comes to nought； a pretty figure I shall cut in the caricatures of Monsieur Bixiou； of whose malicious remarks on the subject you lately wrote me。
One thing reassures me： it does not seem likely that any one would have sown two hundred and fifty thousand francs in my electoral furrow without feeling pretty sure of gathering a harvest。 Perhaps； to take a cheerful view of the matter； this very slowness may be considered as showing great confidence of success。
However that may be； I am kept by this long delay in a state of inaction which weighs upon me。 Astride as it were of two existences； one in which I have not set foot； the other in which my foot still lingers；I have no heart to undertake real work； I am like a traveller who； having arrived before the hour when the diligence starts； does not know what to do with his person nor how to spend his time。 You will not complain； I think； that I turn this enforced /far niente/ to the profit of our correspondence； and now that I am thus at leisure； I shall take up two points in your last letter which did not seem to me of sufficient importance to pay much attention to at the time： I refer to your warning that my parliamentary pretensions did not meet the approval of Monsieur Bixiou； and to your suggestion that I might expose myself to falling in love with Madame de l'Estoradeif I were not in love with her already。 Let us discuss； in the first instance； Monsieur Bixiou's grand disapprobationjust as we used to talk in the olden time of the grand treachery of Monsieur de Mirabeau。
I'll describe that man to you in a single word。 Envy。 In Monsieur Bixiou there is； unquestionably； the makings of a great artist； but in the economy of his existence the belly has annihilated the heart and the head； and he is now and forever under the dominion of sensual appetites； he is riveted to the condition of a /caricaturist/；that is to say； to the condition of a man who from day to day discounts himself in petty products； regular galley…slave pot…boilers； which； to be sure； give him a lively living； but in themselves are worthless and have no future。 With talents misused and now impotent； he has in his mind； as he has on his face； that everlasting and despairing /grin/ which human thought instinctively attributes to fallen angels。 Just as the Spirit of darkness attacks； in preference； great saints because they recall to him most bitterly the angelic nature from which he has fallen； so Monsieur Bixiou delights to slaver the talents and characters of those who he sees have courageously refused to squander their strength； sap； and aims as he has done。
But the thing which ought to reassure you somewhat as to the danger of his calumny and his slander （for he employs both forms of backbiting） is that at the very time when he believes he is making a burlesque autopsy of me he is actually an obedient puppet whose wire I hold in my hands； and whom I am making talk as I please。 Being convinced that a certain amount of noisy discussion would advance my political career； I looked about me for what I may call a public crier。 Among these circus trumpets； if I could have found one with a sharper tone； a more deafening blare than Bixiou's； I would have chosen it。 As it was； I have profited by the malevolent curiosity which induces that amiable lepidopter to insinuate himself into all studios。 I confided the whole affair to him； even to the two hundred and fifty thousand francs （which I attributed to a lucky stroke at the Bourse）； I told him all my plans of parliamentary conduct； down to the number of the house I have bought to conform to the requirements of the electoral law。 It is all jotted down in his notebook。
That statement； I think； would somewhat reduce the admiration of his hearers in the salon Montcornet did they know of it。 As for the political horoscope which he has been so kind as to draw for me； I cannot honestly say that his astrology is at fault。 It is very certain that with my intention of following no set of fixed opinions； I must reach the situation so admirably summed up by the lawyer of Monsieur de la Palisse； when he exclaimed with burlesque emphasis： 〃What do you do； gentlemen； when you place a man in solitude？ You isolate him。〃
Isolation will certainly be my lot； and the artist…life； in which a man lives alone and draws from himself like the Great Creator whose work he toils to imitate； has predisposed me to welcome the situation。 But although； in the beginning especially； it will deprive me of all influence in the lobbies； it may serve me well in the tribune； where I shall be able to speak with strength and /freedom/。 Being bound by no promises and by no party trammels； nothing will prevent me from being the man I am； and expressing； in all their sacred crudity； the ideas which I think sound and just。 I know very well that before an audience plain； honest truth may fail to be contagious or even welcome。 But have you never remarked that； by using our opportunities wisely； we finally meet with days which may be called the festivals of morality and intelligence； days on which； naturally and almost without effort； the thought of good triumphs？
I do not； however； conceal from myself that； although I may reach to some reputation as an orator； such a course will never lead to a ministry； and that it does not bestow that reputation of being a practical man to which it is now the fashion to sacrifice so much。 But if at arm's length in the tribune I have but little influence； I shall make my mark at a greater distance。 I shall speak as it were from a window； beyond the close and narrow sphere of parliamentary discussion； and above the level of its petty passions and its petty interests。 This species of success appears to meet the views of the mysterious paternal intentions toward me。 What they seem to require is that I shall sound and resound。 From that point of view； i' faith； politics have a poetic side which is not out of keeping with my past life。
Now； to take up your other warning： that of my passion born or to be born for Madame de l'Estorade。 I quote your most judicious deductions for the purpose of answering them fully。
In 1837； when you left for Italy； Madame de l'Estorade was； you say； in the flower of her beauty； and the queer； audacious persistence which I have shown in deriving inspiration from her shows that it has not faded。 Hence； if the evil be not already done； you warn me to be on my guard； from the admiration of an artist to the adoration of the man there is but a step； and the history of the late Pygmalion is commended to my study。
In the first place； learned doctor and mythologian； allow me this remark。 Being on the spot and therefore much better placed than you to judge of the dangers of the situation； I can assure you that the principal person concerned does not appear to feel the least anxiety。 Monsieur de l'Estorade quarrels with me for one thing only： he thinks my visits too few； and my reserve misanthropy。
/Parbleu/！ I hear you say； a husband is always the last to know that his wife is being courted。 So be it。 But the high renown of Madame de l'Estorade's virtue； her cold and rather calculating good sense； which often served to balance the ardent and passionate impetuosity of one you knew well；what of that？ And will you not grant that motherhood as it appears in that ladypushed to a degree of fervor which I might almost call fanaticismwould be to her an infallible preservative？
So much for her。 But it is not； I see； for her tranquillity； it is mine for which your friendship is concerned； if Pygmalion had not succeeded in giving life to his statue； a pretty life his love would have made him！
To your charitable solicitude I must answer； （1） by asserting my principles （though the word and the thing are utterly out of date）； （2） by a certain stupid respect that I feel for conjugal loyalty； （3） by the natural preoccupation which the serious public enterprise I am about to undertake must necessarily give to my mind and imagination。 I must also tell you that I belong； if not by spiritual height； at least by all the tendencies of my mind and character； to that strong and serious school of artists of another age who； finding that art is long and life is short/ars longa et vita brevis/did not commit the mistake of wasting their time and lessening their powers of creation by silly and insipid intrigues。
But I have a