followed the fashion； was to be seen in a buff waistcoat； gray
trousers； and neat； tightly…fitting coats； he wore a fashionable silk
tie slipped through a diamond ring； while the lawyer never dressed in
anything but blackcoat； trousers； and waistcoat alike； and those
often shabby。
These four men were the first to go into ecstasies over Dinah's
cultivation； good taste； and refinement； and pronounced her a woman of
most superior mind。 Then the women said to each other； 〃Madame de la
Baudraye must laugh at us behind our back。〃
This view； which was more or less correct； kept them from visiting at
La Baudraye。 Dinah； attainted and convicted of pedantry； because she
spoke grammatically； was nicknamed the Sappho of Saint…Satur。 At last
everybody made insolent game of the great qualities of the woman who
had thus roused the enmity of the ladies of Sancerre。 And they ended
by denying a superiorityafter all； merely comparative！which
emphasized their ignorance； and did not forgive it。 Where the whole
population is hunch…backed； a straight shape is the monstrosity； Dinah
was regarded as monstrous and dangerous； and she found herself in a
desert。
Astonished at seeing the women of the neighborhood only at long
intervals； and for visits of a few minutes； Dinah asked Monsieur de
Clagny the reason of this state of things。
〃You are too superior a woman to be liked by other women；〃 said the
lawyer。
Monsieur Gravier； when questioned by the forlorn fair； only； after
much entreaty； replied：
〃Well； lady fair； you are not satisfied to be merely charming。 You are
clever and well educated； you know every book that comes out； you love
poetry； you are a musician； and you talk delightfully。 Women cannot
forgive so much superiority。〃
Men said to Monsieur de la Baudraye：
〃You who have such a Superior Woman for a wife are very fortunate〃
And at last he himself would say：
〃I who have a Superior Woman for a wife； am very fortunate；〃 etc。
Madame Piedefer； flattered through her daughter； also allowed herself
to say such things〃My daughter； who is a very Superior Woman； was
writing yesterday to Madame de Fontaine such and such a thing。〃
Those who know the worldFrance； Parisknow how true it is that many
celebrities are thus created。
Two years later； by the end of the year 1825； Dinah de la Baudraye was
accused of not choosing to have any visitors but men； then it was said
that she did not care for womenand that was a crime。 Not a thing
could she do； not her most trifling action； could escape criticism and
misrepresentation。 After making every sacrifice that a well…bred woman
can make； and placing herself entirely in the right； Madame de la
Baudraye was so rash as to say to a false friend who condoled with her
on her isolation：
〃I would rather have my bowl empty than with anything in it！〃
This speech produced a terrible effect on Sancerre； and was cruelly
retorted on the Sappho of Saint…Satur when； seeing her childless after
five years of married life； /little/ de la Baudraye became a byword
for laughter。 To understand this provincial witticism； readers may be
reminded of the Bailli de Ferrettesome； no doubt； having known him
of whom it was said that he was the bravest man in Europe for daring
to walk on his legs； and who was accused of putting lead in his shoes
to save himself from being blown away。 Monsieur de la Baudraye； a
sallow and almost diaphanous creature； would have been engaged by the
Bailli de Ferrette as first gentleman…in…waiting if that diplomatist
had been the Grand Duke of Baden instead of being merely his envoy。
Monsieur de la Baudraye； whose legs were so thin that； for mere
decency； he wore false calves； whose thighs were like the arms of an
average man； whose body was not unlike that of a cockchafer； would
have been an advantageous foil to the Bailli de Ferrette。 As he
walked； the little vine…owner's leg…pads often twisted round on to his
shins； so little did he make a secret of them； and he would thank any
one who warned him of this little mishap。 He wore knee…breeches； black
silk stockings； and a white waistcoat till 1824。 After his marriage he
adopted blue trousers and boots with heels； which made Sancerre
declare that he had added two inches to his stature that he might come
up to his wife's chin。 For ten years he was always seen in the same
little bottle…green coat with large white…metal buttons； and a black
stock that accentuated his cold stingy face； lighted up by gray…blue
eyes as keen and passionless as a cat's。 Being very gentle； as men are
who act on a fixed plan of conduct； he seemed to make his wife happy
by never contradicting her； he allowed her to do the talking； and was
satisfied to move with the deliberate tenacity of an insect。
Dinah； adored for her beauty； in which she had no rival； and admired
for her cleverness by the most gentlemanly men of the place；
encouraged their admiration by conversations； for which it was
subsequently asserted； she prepared herself beforehand。 Finding
herself listened to with rapture； she soon began to listen to herself；
enjoyed haranguing her audience； and at last regarded her friends as
the chorus in a tragedy； there only to give her her cues。 In fact； she
had a very fine collection of phrases and ideas； derived either from
books or by assimilating the opinions of her companions； and thus
became a sort of mechanical instrument； going off on a round of
phrases as soon as some chance remark released the spring。 To do her
justice； Dinah was choke full of knowledge； and read everything； even
medical books； statistics； science； and jurisprudence； for she did not
know how to spend her days when she had reviewed her flower…beds and
given her orders to the gardener。 Gifted with an excellent memory； and
the talent which some women have for hitting on the right word； she
could talk on any subject with the lucidity of a studied style。 And so
men came from Cosne； from la Charite； and from Nevers； on the right
bank； from Lere； Vailly； Argent； Blancafort； and Aubigny； on the left
bank； to be introduced to Madame de la Baudraye； as they used in
Switzerland； to be introduced to Madame de Stael。 Those who only once
heard the round of tunes emitted by this musical snuff…box went away
amazed； and told such wonders of Dinah as made all the women jealous
for ten leagues round。
There is an indescribable mental headiness in the admiration we
inspire； or in the effect of playing a part； which fends off criticism
from reaching the idol。 An atmosphere； produced perhaps by unceasing
nervous tension； forms a sort of halo； through which the world below
is seen。 How otherwise can we account for the perennial good faith
which leads to so many repeated presentments of the same effects； and
the constant ignoring of warnings given by children； such a terror to
their parents； or by husbands； so familiar as they are with the
peacock airs of their wives？ Monsieur de la Baudraye had the frankness
of a man who opens an umbrella at the first drop of rain。 When his
wife was started on the subject of Negro emancipation or the
improvement of convict prisons； he would take up his little blue cap
and vanish without a sound； in the certainty of being able to get to
Saint…Thibault to see off a cargo of puncheons； and return an hour
later to find the discussion approaching a close。 Or； if he had no
business to attend to； he would go for a walk on the Mall； whence he
commanded the lovely panorama of the Loire valley； and take a draught
of fresh air while his wife was performing a sonata in words； or a
dialectical duet。
Once fairly established as a Superior Woman； Dinah was eager to prove
her devotion to the most remarkable creations of art。 She threw
herself into the propaganda of the romantic school； including； under
Art； poetry and painting； literature and sculpture； furniture and the
opera。 Thus she became a mediaevalist。 She was also interested in any
treasures that dated from the Renaissance； and employed her allies as
so many devoted commission agents。 Soon after she was married； she had
become possessed of the Rougets' furniture； sold at Issoudun early in
1824。 She purchased some very good things at Nivernais and the Haute…
Loire。 At the New Year and on her birthday her friends never failed to
give her some curiosities。 These fancies found favor in the eyes of
Monsieur de la Baudraye； they gave him an appearance of sacrificing a
few crowns to his wife's taste。 In point of fact； his land mania
allowed him to think of nothing but the estate of Anzy。
These 〃antiquities〃 at that time cost much less than modern furniture。
By the end of five or six years the ante…room； the dining…room； the
two drawing…rooms； and the boudoir which Dinah had arranged on the
ground floor of La Baudraye； every spot even to the staircase； were
crammed with masterpieces collected in the four adjacent departments。
These surroundings； which were called /queer/ by the neighbors； were
quite in harmony with Dinah。 All these Marvels； so soon to be the
rage； struck the imagination of the strangers introduced to her； they
came expecting something unusual； and they found their expectations
surpassed when； behind a bower of flowers； they saw these catacombs
full of old things； piled up as Sommerard used to pile themthat 〃Old
Mortality〃 of furniture。 And then these finds served as so many
springs which； turned on by a question； played off an essay on Jean
Goujon； Michel Columb； Germain Pilon； Boulle； Van Huysum； and Boucher；
the great native painter of Le Berry； on Clodion； the carver of wood；
on Venetian mirrors； on Brustolone； an Italian tenor who was the
Michael…Angelo of boxwood and holm oak； on the thirteenth； fourteenth；
fifteenth； sixteenth； and seventeenth centuries； on the glazes of
Bernard de Palissy； the enamels of Petitot； the engravings of Albrecht
Durerwhom she called Dur； on illuminations on vellum； on Gothic
architecture； early decorated； flamboyant and pureenough to turn an
old man's brain and fire a young man with enthusiasm。
Madame de la Baudraye； possessed with the idea of waking up Sancerre；
tried to form a so…called literary circle。 The Presiding Judge；
Monsieur Boirouge； w