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e； more serious and sober； did not enjoy to the same extent。 Therefore； when Monsieur de Camps proposed going to the Porte…Saint… Martin to see a fairy piece then much in vogue； Madame Octave replied：
〃Neither Madame de l'Estorade nor I have the least desire to go out this evening； we are very tired with our expedition。 Take Rene and Nais； they will enjoy the fairies far more than we。〃
The two children awaited in deep anxiety the permission which Madame de l'Estorade finally granted； and a few moments later the two friends； left to themselves； prepared for an evening of comfortable talk。
〃I am not at home to any one；〃 said Madame de l'Estorade to Lucas； as soon as her family had departed。
〃Now that we are alone；〃 said Madame de Camps； 〃I shall proceed to blows； I have not travelled two hundred miles to wrap up in cotton… wool the truth I have come to tell you。〃
〃Ready to hear it；〃 said Madame de l'Estorade； laughing。
〃Your last letter； my dear； simply frightened me。〃
〃Why？ Because I told you I was trying to keep a man at a distance？〃
〃Yes。 Why keep him at a distance？ If Monsieur de Camps or Monsieur Gaston or Monsieur de Rastignac were to make a practice of coming here habitually； would you trouble yourself about them？〃
〃No； but they have not the same claim upon me： it is that I fear。〃
〃Tell me； do you think Monsieur de Sallenauve loves you？〃
〃No； I am now quite sure to the contrary； and I also think that on my side〃
〃We'll talk about that presently； now I want to ask if you desire Monsieur de Sallenauve to love you？〃
〃Heaven forbid！〃
〃Well； then； the best possible way to make him do so is to wound his self…love； and show yourself unjust and ungrateful to him； you will only force him to think the more of you。〃
〃But； my dear friend； isn't that a very far…fetched observation？〃
〃Did you never observe that men are more taken by our snubs than by our caresses？ Severity fixes their attention upon us。〃
〃If that were so； all the men we disdain and never think of would sigh for us。〃
〃Oh！ my dear； don't make me talk such nonsense。 To take fire； a man must have some degree of combustibility； and if that /other/ person is lost to him forever； why shouldn't he； as you said yourself； ricochet upon you？〃
〃That other person is not lost to him； he expects； more than ever； to find her by the help of a very clever seeker； the mother…superior of a convent at Arcis。〃
〃Very good； then why employ the delay in holding him at arm's… length；a proceeding which will only draw him towards you？〃
〃My dear moralist； I don't admit your theory in the least。 As for Monsieur de Sallenauve； he will be much too busy with his duties in the Chamber to think of me。 Besides； he is a man who is full of self… respect； he will be mortified by my manner； which will seem to him both ungrateful and unjust。 If I try to put two feet of distance between us； he will put four； you may rely on that。〃
〃And /you/； my dear？〃 asked Madame de Camps。
〃How do you mean？I？〃
〃You who are not busy； who have no Chamber to occupy your mind； you who have； I will agree； a great deal of self…respect； but who know as little about the things of the heart as the veriest school…girl；what will become of you under the dangerous system you are imposing upon yourself？〃
〃If I don't love him when near； I shall certainly love him still less at a distance。〃
〃So that when you see him take his ostracism coolly； your self…love as a woman will not be piqued。〃
〃Certainly not； that is precisely the result I desire。〃
〃And if you find； on the contrary； that he complains of you； or if he does not complain； that he suffers from your treatment； will your conscience tell you absolutely nothing？〃
〃It will tell me that I am doing right； and that I could not do otherwise。〃
〃And if success attends him and fame with its hundred voices talks of him； how will you think of him？〃
〃As I think of Monsieur Thiers and Monsieur Berryer。〃
〃And Nais； who adores him and will probably say； the first time he dines with you； 'Ah！ mamma； how well he talks！'〃
〃If you are going to argue on the chatter of a child〃
〃And Monsieur de l'Estorade； who already irritates you？ He is beginning to…day to sacrifice him to the spirit of party； shall you silence him every time he makes some malevolent insinuation about Monsieur de Sallenauve； and denies his honor and his talent？you know the judgment people make on those who do not think as we do。〃
〃In short；〃 said Madame de l'Estorade； 〃you are trying to make me admit that the surest way to think of a person is to put him out of sight。〃
〃Listen to me； my dear；〃 said Madame de Camps； with a slight touch of gravity。 〃I have read and re…read your letters。 You were there your own self； more natural and less quibbling than you are now； and an impression has remained upon my mind： it is that Monsieur de Sallenauve has touched your heart； though he may not have entered it。〃
Madame de l'Estorade made a gesture of denial； but the confessor went on：
〃I know that idea provokes you； you can't very well admit to me what you have studiously denied to yourself。 But what is； is。 We don't say of a man； 'A sort of magnetism issues from him； one feels his eye without meeting it'； we don't cry out； 'I am invulnerable on the side of love；' without having had some prickings of it。〃
〃But so many things have happened since I wrote that nonsense。〃
〃True； he was only a sculptor then； and before long he may be a minister；not like Monsieur de Rastignac； but like our great poet； Canalis。〃
〃I like sermons with definite deductions；〃 said Madame de l'Estorade； with a touch of impatience。
〃That is what Vergniaud said to Robespierre on the 31st of May； and I reply； with Robespierre； Yes； I'll draw my conclusion； and it is against your self…confidence as a woman； who； having reached the age of thirty…two without a suspicion of what love is； cannot admit that at this late date she may be subjected to the common law。〃
〃But what I want is a practical conclusion；〃 said Madame de l'Estorade； tapping her foot。
〃My practical conclusion；here it is；〃 replied Madame Octave。 〃If you will not persist in the folly of swimming against the current； I see no danger whatever in your being submerged。 You are strong； you have principles and religion； you adore your children； you love Monsieur de l'Estorade； their father； in them。 With all that ballast you cannot sink。〃
〃Well？〃 said Madame de l'Estorade； interrogatively。
〃Well； there is no need to have recourse to violent measures； the success of which is very problematical。 Remain as you are； build no barricades when no one attacks you。 Don't excite tempests of heart and conscience merely to pacify your conscience and quiet your heart； now ruffled only by a tiny breeze。 No doubt between a man and a woman the sentiment of friendship does take something of the character ordinarily given to love； but such friendship is neither an impossible illusion nor is it a yawning gulf。〃
〃Then；〃 said Madame de l'Estorade； with a thoughtful air； 〃do you wish me to make a friend of Monsieur de Sallenauve？〃
〃Yes； dear； in order not to make him a fixed idea； a regret； a struggle；three things which poison life。〃
〃But my husband； who has already had a touch of jealousy？〃
〃As for your husband； I find him somewhat changed； and not for the better。 I miss that deference he always showed to you personally； to your ideas and impressions；a deference which honored him more than he thought； because there is true greatness in the power to admire。 I may be mistaken； but it seems to me that public life is spoiling him a little。 As you cannot be with him in the Chamber of peers； he is beginning to suspect that he can have a life without you。 If I were you； I should watch these symptoms of independence； and not let the work of your lifetime come to nought。〃
〃Do you know； my dear；〃 said Madame de l'Estorade； laughing； 〃that you are giving me advice that may end in fire and slaughter？〃
〃Not at all。 I am a woman forty…five years of age； who has always seen things on their practical side。 I did not marry my husband； whom I loved； until I had convinced myself； by putting him to the test； that he was worthy of my esteem。 I don't make life； I take it as it comes； trying to put order and /possibility/ into all the occurrences it brings to me。 I an neither the frenzied passion of Louise de Chaulieu； nor the insensible reason of Renee de Maucombe。 I am a Jesuit in petticoats； persuaded that rather wide sleeves are better than sleeves that are tight to the wrist； and I have never gone in search of the philosopher's stone〃
At this instant Lucas opened the door of the salon and announced；
〃Monsieur le Comte de Sallenauve。〃
His mistress gave him a look inquiring why he had disobeyed her orders； to which Lucas replied by a sign implying that he did not suppose the prohibition applied in this instance。
Madame de Camps； who had never yet seen the new deputy； now gave her closest attention to a study of him。
Sallenauve explained his visit by his great desire to know how matters had gone at Ville d'Avray； and whether Marie…Gaston had been deeply affected by his return there。 As for the business which deta