Monsieur Gravier； nettled by Lousteau's impertinent tone。
〃Quite incapable of such a thing；〃 said the journalist with grave
irony。
〃Pooh！〃 said Bianchon； 〃the inventions of romances and play…writers
are quite as often transferred from their books and pieces into real
life； as the events of real life are made use of on the stage or
adapted to a tale。 I have seen the comedy of /Tartufe/ played out
with the exception of the close； Orgon's eyes could not be opened to
the truth。〃
〃And the tragi…comedy of /Adolphe/ by Benjamin Constant is constantly
enacted；〃 cried Lousteau。
〃And do you suppose；〃 asked Madame de la Baudraye； 〃that such
adventures as Monsieur Gravier has related could ever occur now； and
in France？〃
〃Dear me！〃 cried Clagny； 〃of the ten or twelve startling crimes that
are annually committed in France； quite half are mixed up with
circumstances at least as extraordinary as these； and often outdoing
them in romantic details。 Indeed； is not this proved by the reports in
the /Gazette des Tribunaux/the Police newsin my opinion； one of
the worst abuses of the Press？ This newspaper； which was started only
in 1826 or '27； was not in existence when I began my professional
career； and the facts of the crime I am about to speak of were not
known beyond the limits of the department where it was committed。
〃In the quarter of Saint…Pierre…des…Corps at Tours a woman whose
husband had disappeared at the time when the army of the Loire was
disbanded； and who had mourned him deeply； was conspicuous for her
excess of devotion。 When the mission priests went through all the
provinces to restore the crosses that had been destroyed and to efface
the traces of revolutionary impiety； this widow was one of their most
zealous proselytes； she carried a cross and nailed to it a silver
heart pierced by an arrow； and； for a long time after； she went every
evening to pray at the foot of the cross which was erected behind the
Cathedral apse。
〃At last； overwhelmed by remorse； she confessed to a horrible crime。
She had killed her husband； as Fualdes was murdered； by bleeding him；
she had salted the body and packed it in pieces into old casks；
exactly as if it have been pork； and for a long time she had taken a
piece every morning and thrown it into the Loire。 Her confessor
consulted his superiors； and told her that it would be his duty to
inform the public prosecutor。 The woman awaited the action of the Law。
The public prosecutor and the examining judge； on examining the
cellar； found the husband's head still in pickle in one of the casks。
'Wretched woman；' said the judge to the accused； 'since you were so
barbarous as to throw your husband's body into the river； why did you
not get rid of the head？ Then there would have been no proof。'
〃 'I often tried； monsieur；' said she； 'but it was too heavy。' 〃
〃Well； and what became of the woman？〃 asked the two Parisians。
〃She was sentenced and executed at Tours；〃 replied the lawyer； 〃but
her repentance and piety had attracted interest in spite of her
monstrous crime。〃
〃And do you suppose； said Bianchon； 〃that we know all the tragedies
that are played out behind the curtain of private life that the public
never lifts？It seems to me that human justice is ill adapted to
judge of crimes as between husband and wife。 It has every right to
intervene as the police； but in equity it knows nothing of the heart
of the matter。〃
〃The victim has in many cases been for so long the tormentor；〃 said
Madame de la Baudraye guilelessly； 〃that the crime would sometimes
seem almost excusable if the accused could tell all。〃
This reply； led up to by Bianchon and by the story which Clagny had
told； left the two Parisians excessively puzzled as to Dinah's
position。
At bedtime council was held； one of those discussions which take place
in the passages of old country…houses where the bachelors linger；
candle in hand； for mysterious conversations。
Monsieur Gravier was now informed of the object in view during this
entertaining evening which had brought Madame de la Baudraye's
innocence to light。
〃But； after all；〃 said Lousteau； 〃our hostess' serenity may indicate
deep depravity instead of the most child…like innocence。 The Public
Prosecutor looks to me quite capable of suggesting that little La
Baudraye should be put in pickle〃
〃He is not to return till to…morrow； who knows what may happen in the
course of the night？〃 said Gatien。
〃We will know！〃 cried Monsieur Gravier。
In the life of a country house a number of practical jokes are
considered admissible； some of them odiously treacherous。 Monsieur
Gravier； who had seen so much of the world； proposed setting seals on
the door of Madame de la Baudraye and of the Public Prosecutor。 The
ducks that denounced the poet Ibycus are as nothing in comparison with
the single hair that these country spies fasten across the opening of
a door by means of two little flattened pills of wax； fixed so high
up； or so low down； that the trick is never suspected。 If the gallant
comes out of his own door and opens the other； the broken hair tells
the tale。
When everybody was supposed to be asleep； the doctor； the journalist；
the receiver of taxes； and Gatien came barefoot； like robbers； and
silently fastened up the two doors； agreeing to come again at five in
the morning to examine the state of the fastenings。 Imagine their
astonishment and Gatien's delight when all four； candle in hand； and
with hardly any clothes on； came to look at the hairs； and found them
in perfect preservation on both doors。
〃Is it the same wax？〃 asked Monsieur Gravier。
〃Are they the same hairs？〃 asked Lousteau。
〃Yes；〃 replied Gatien。
〃This quite alters the matter！〃 cried Lousteau。 〃You have been beating
the bush for a will…o'…the…wisp。〃
Monsieur Gravier and Gatien exchanged questioning glances which were
meant to convey； 〃Is there not something offensive to us in that
speech？ Ought we to laugh or to be angry？〃
〃If Dinah is virtuous；〃 said the journalist in a whisper to Bianchon；
〃she is worth an effort on my part to pluck the fruit of her first
love。〃
The idea of carrying by storm a fortress that had for nine years stood
out against the besiegers of Sancerre smiled on Lousteau。
With this notion in his head； he was the first to go down and into the
garden； hoping to meet his hostess。 And this chance fell out all the
more easily because Madame de la Baudraye on her part wished to
converse with her critic。 Half such chances are planned。
〃You were out shooting yesterday； monsieur；〃 said Madame de la
Baudraye。 〃This morning I am rather puzzled as to how to find you any
new amusement； unless you would like to come to La Baudraye； where you
may study more of our provincial life than you can see here； for you
have made but one mouthful of my absurdities。 However； the saying
about the handsomest girl in the world is not less true of the poor
provincial woman！〃
〃That little simpleton Gatien has； I suppose； related to you a speech
I made simply to make him confess that he adored you；〃 said Etienne。
〃Your silence； during dinner the day before yesterday and throughout
the evening； was enough to betray one of those indiscretions which we
never commit in Paris。What can I say？ I do not flatter myself that
you will understand me。 In fact； I laid a plot for the telling of all
those stories yesterday solely to see whether I could rouse you and
Monsieur de Clagny to a pang of remorse。Oh！ be quite easy； your
innocence is fully proved。
〃If you had the slightest fancy for that estimable magistrate； you
would have lost all your value in my eyes。I love perfection。
〃You do not； you cannot love that cold； dried…up； taciturn little
usurer on wine casks and land； who would leave any man in the lurch
for twenty…five centimes on a renewal。 Oh； I have fully recognized
Monsieur de la Baudraye's similarity to a Parisian bill…discounter；
their nature is identical。At eight…and…twenty； handsome； well
conducted； and childlessI assure you； madame； I never saw the
problem of virtue more admirably expressed。The author of /Paquita la
Sevillane/ must have dreamed many dreams！
〃I can speak of such things without the hypocritical gloss lent them
by young men； for I am old before my time。 I have no illusions left。
Can a man have any illusions in the trade I follow？〃
By opening the game in this tone； Lousteau cut out all excursions in
the /Pays de Tendre/； where genuine passion beats the bush so long； he
went straight to the point and placed himself in a position to force
the offer of what women often make a man pray for； for years； witness
the hapless Public Prosecutor； to whom the greatest favor had
consisted in clasping Dinah's hand to his heart more tenderly than
usual as they walked； happy man！
And Madame de la Baudraye； to be true to her reputation as a Superior
Woman； tried to console the Manfred of the Press by prophesying such a
future of love as he had not had in his mind。
〃You have sought pleasure；〃 said she； 〃but you have never loved。
Believe me； true love often comes late in life。 Remember Monsieur de
Gentz； who fell in love in his old age with Fanny Ellsler； and left
the Revolution of July to take its course while he attended the
dancer's rehearsals。〃
〃It seems to me unlikely；〃 replied Lousteau。 〃I can still believe in
love； but I have ceased to believe in woman。 There are in me； I
suppose； certain defects which hinder me from being loved； for I have
often been thrown over。 Perhaps I have too strong a feeling for the
ideallike all men who have looked too closely into reality〃
Madame de la Baudraye at last heard the mind of a man who； flung into
the wittiest Parisian circles； represented to her its most daring
axioms； its almost artless depravity； its advanced convictions； who；
if he were not really superior； acted superiority extremely well。
Etienne； performing before Dinah； had all the success of a first
night。 /Paquita/ of Sancerre scented the storms； the atmosphere of
Paris。 She spent one of the most delightful days of her life with
Lousteau and Bianchon； who told her strange tales about the great men
of the day； the anecdotes which will some da