〃Henceforth； for the cost of your dinner； you shall live like a
prince。〃
Having induced the landlord to let her have a kitchen and two
servants' rooms； Madame de la Baudraye wrote a few lines to her
mother； begging her to send her some linen and a loan of a thousand
francs。 She received two trunks full of linen； some plate； and two
thousand francs； sent by the hand of an honest and pious cook
recommended her by her mother。
Ten days after the evening at the theatre when they had met； Monsieur
de Clagny came to call at four o'clock； after coming out of court； and
found Madame de la Baudraye making a little cap。 The sight of this
proud and ambitious woman； whose mind was so accomplished； and who had
queened it so well at the Chateau d'Anzy； now condescending to
household cares and sewing for the coming infant； moved the poor
lawyer； who had just left the bench。 And as he saw the pricks on one
of the taper fingers he had so often kissed； he understood that Madame
de la Baudraye was not merely playing at this maternal task。
In the course of this first interview the magistrate saw to the depths
of Dinah's soul。 This perspicacity in a man so much in love was a
superhuman effort。 He saw that Didine meant to be the journalist's
guardian spirit and lead him into a nobler road； she had seen that the
difficulties of his practical life were due to some moral defects。
Between two beings united by lovein one so genuine； and in the other
so well feignedmore than one confidence had been exchanged in the
course of four months。 Notwithstanding the care with which Etienne
wrapped up his true self； a word now and then had not failed to
enlighten Dinah as to the previous life of a man whose talents were so
hampered by poverty； so perverted by bad examples； so thwarted by
obstacles beyond his courage to surmount。 〃He will be a greater man if
life is easy to him；〃 said she to herself。 And she strove to make him
happy； to give him the sense of a sheltered home by dint of such
economy and method as are familiar to provincial folks。 Thus Dinah
became a housekeeper； as she had become a poet； by the soaring of her
soul towards the heights。
〃His happiness will be my absolution。〃
These words； wrung from Madame de la Baudraye by her friend the
lawyer； accounted for the existing state of things。 The publicity of
his triumph； flaunted by Etienne on the evening of the first
performance； had very plainly shown the lawyer what Lousteau's purpose
was。 To Etienne； Madame de la Baudraye was； to use his own phrase； 〃a
fine feather in his cap。〃 Far from preferring the joys of a shy and
mysterious passion； of hiding such exquisite happiness from the eyes
of the world； he found a vulgar satisfaction in displaying the first
woman of respectability who had ever honored him with her affection。
The Judge； however； was for some time deceived by the attentions which
any man would lavish on any woman in Madame de la Baudraye's
situation； and Lousteau made them doubly charming by the ingratiating
ways characteristic of men whose manners are naturally attractive。
There are； in fact； men who have something of the monkey in them by
nature； and to whom the assumption of the most engaging forms of
sentiment is so easy that the actor is not detected； and Lousteau's
natural gifts had been fully developed on the stage on which he had
hitherto figured。
Between the months of April and July； when Dinah expected her
confinement； she discovered why it was that Lousteau had not triumphed
over poverty； he was idle and had no power of will。 The brain； to be
sure； must obey its own laws； it recognizes neither the exigencies of
life nor the voice of honor； a man cannot write a great book because a
woman is dying； or to pay a discreditable debt； or to bring up a
family； at the same time； there is no great talent without a strong
will。 These twin forces are requisite for the erection of the vast
edifice of personal glory。 A distinguished genius keeps his brain in a
productive condition； just as the knights of old kept their weapons
always ready for battle。 They conquer indolence； they deny themselves
enervating pleasures； or indulge only to a fixed limit proportioned to
their powers。 This explains the life of such men as Walter Scott；
Cuvier； Voltaire； Newton； Buffon； Bayle； Bossuet； Leibnitz； Lopez de
Vega； Calderon； Boccacio； Aretino； Aristotlein short； every man who
delighted； governed； or led his contemporaries。
A man may and ought to pride himself more on his will than on his
talent。 Though Talent has its germ in a cultivated gift； Will means
the incessant conquest of his instincts； of proclivities subdued and
mortified； and difficulties of every kind heroically defeated。 The
abuse of smoking encouraged Lousteau's indolence。 Tobacco； which can
lull grief； inevitably numbs a man's energy。
Then； while the cigar deteriorated him physically； criticism as a
profession morally stultified a man so easily tempted by pleasure。
Criticism is as fatal to the critic as seeing two sides to a question
is to a pleader。 In these professions the judgment is undermined； the
mind loses its lucid rectitude。 The writer lives by taking sides。
Thus； we may distinguish two kinds of criticism； as in painting we may
distinguish art from practical dexterity。 Criticism； after the pattern
of most contemporary leader…writers； is the expression of judgments
formed at random in a more or less witty way； just as an advocate
pleads in court on the most contradictory briefs。 The newspaper critic
always finds a subject to work up in the book he is discussing。 Done
after this fashion； the business is well adapted to indolent brains；
to men devoid of the sublime faculty of imagination； or； possessed of
it indeed； but lacking courage to cultivate it。 Every play； every book
comes to their pen as a subject； making no demand on their
imagination； and of which they simply write a report； seriously or in
irony； according to the mood of the moment。 As to an opinion； whatever
it may be； French wit can always justify it； being admirably ready to
defend either side of any case。 And conscience counts for so little；
these /bravi/ have so little value for their own words； that they will
loudly praise in the greenroom the work they tear to tatters in print。
Nay； men have been known to transfer their services from one paper to
another without being at the pains to consider that the opinions of
the new sheet must be diametrically antagonistic to those of the old。
Madame de la Baudraye could smile to see Lousteau with one article on
the Legitimist side and one on the side of the new dynasty； both on
the same occasion。 She admired the maxim he preached：
〃We are the attorneys of public opinion。〃
The other kind of criticism is a science。 It necessitates a thorough
comprehension of each work； a lucid insight into the tendencies of the
age； the adoption of a system； and faith in fixed principlesthat is
to say； a scheme of jurisprudence； a summing…up； and a verdict。 The
critic is then a magistrate of ideas； the censor of his time； he
fulfils a sacred function； while in the former case he is but an
acrobat who turns somersaults for a living so long as he had a leg to
stand on。 Between Claude Vignon and Lousteau lay the gulf that divides
mere dexterity from art。
Dinah； whose mind was soon freed from rust； and whose intellect was by
no means narrow； had ere long taken literary measure of her idol。 She
saw Lousteau working up to the last minute under the most
discreditable compulsion； and scamping his work； as painters say of a
picture from which sound technique is absent； but she would excuse him
by saying； 〃He is a poet！〃 so anxious was she to justify him in her
own eyes。 When she thus guessed the secret of many a writer's
existence； she also guessed that Lousteau's pen could never be trusted
to as a resource。
Then her love for him led her to take a step she would never had
thought of for her own sake。 Through her mother she tried to negotiate
with her husband for an allowance； but without Etienne's knowledge；
for； as she thought； it would be an offence to his delicate feelings；
which must be considered。 A few days before the end of July； Dinah
crumbled up in her wrath the letter from her mother containing
Monsieur de la Baudraye's ultimatum：
〃Madame de la Baudraye cannot need an allowance in Paris when she can
live in perfect luxury at her Chateau of Anzy： she may return。〃
Lousteau picked up this letter and read it。
〃I will avenge you！〃 said he to Dinah in the ominous tone that
delights a woman when her antipathies are flattered。
Five days after this Bianchon and Duriau； the famous ladies' doctor；
were engaged at Lousteau's； for he； ever since little La Baudraye's
reply； had been making a great display of his joy and importance over
the advent of the infant。 Monsieur de Clagny and Madame Piedefersent
for in all haste were to be the godparents； for the cautious
magistrate feared lest Lousteau should commit some compromising
blunder。 Madame de la Baudraye gave birth to a boy that might have
filled a queen with envy who hoped for an heir…presumptive。
Bianchon and Monsieur de Clagny went off to register the child at the
Mayor's office as the son of Monsieur and Madame de la Baudraye；
unknown to Etienne； who； on his part； rushed off to a printer's to
have this circular set up：
/〃Madame la Baronne de la Baudraye is happily delivered of a son。
〃Monsieur Etienne Lousteau has the pleasure of informing you of
the fact。
〃The mother and child are doing well。〃/
Lousteau had already sent out sixty of these announcements when
Monsieur de Clagny； on coming to make inquiries； happened to see the
list of persons at Sancerre to whom Lousteau proposed to send this
amazing notice； written below the names of the persons in Paris to
whom it was already gone。 The lawyer confiscated the list and the
remainder of the circulars； showed them to Madame Piedefer； begging
her on no account to allow Lousteau to carry on this atrocious jest；
and jumped into a cab。 The devoted friend then ordered from the same
printer another announcement in the following words：
/〃Madame la Baronne de la Bau