on being taken for what she is not。 Hence the preposterous bustles；
the audacious flatness； the ridiculous fulness； the hideous outlines
ingeniously displayed； to which a whole town will become accustomed；
but which are so astounding when a provincial woman makes her
appearance in Paris or among Parisians。 Dinah； who was extremely slim；
showed it off to excess； and never knew a dull moment when it became
ridiculous； when； reduced by the dull weariness of her life； she
looked like a skeleton in clothes； and her friends； seeing her every
day； did not observe the gradual change in her appearance。
This is one of the natural results of a provincial life。 In spite of
marriage； a young woman preserves her beauty for some time； and the
town is proud of her； but everybody sees her every day； and when
people meet every day their perception is dulled。 If； like Madame de
la Baudraye； she loses her color； it is scarcely noticed； or； again；
if she flushes a little； that is intelligible and interesting。 A
little neglect is thought charming； and her face is so carefully
studied； so well known； that slight changes are scarcely noticed； and
regarded at last as 〃beauty spots。〃 When Dinah ceased to have a new
dress with a new season； she seemed to have made a concession to the
philosophy of the place。
It is the same with matters of speech； choice of words and ideas； as
it is with matters of feeling。 The mind can rust as well as the body
if it is not rubbed up in Paris； but the thing on which provincialism
most sets its stamp is gesture； gait； and movement； these soon lose
the briskness which Paris constantly keeps alive。 The provincial is
used to walk and move in a world devoid of accident or change； there
is nothing to be avoided； so in Paris she walks on as raw recruits do；
never remembering that there may be hindrances； for there are none in
her way in her native place； where she is known； where she is always
in her place； and every one makes way for her。 Thus she loses all the
charm of the unforeseen。
And have you ever noticed the effect on human beings of a life in
common？ By the ineffaceable instinct of simian mimicry they all tend
to copy each other。 Each one； without knowing it； acquires the
gestures； the tone of voice； the manner； the attitudes； the very
countenance of others。 In six years Dinah had sunk to the pitch of the
society she lived in。 As she acquired Monsieur de Clagny's ideas she
assumed his tone of voice； she unconsciously fell into masculine
manners from seeing none but men； she fancied that by laughing at what
was ridiculous in them she was safe from catching it； but； as often
happens； some hue of what she laughed at remained in the grain。
A Parisian woman sees so many examples of good taste that a contrary
result ensues。 In Paris women learn to seize the hour and moment when
they may appear to advantage； while Madame de la Baudraye； accustomed
to take the stage； acquired an indefinable theatrical and domineering
manner； the air of a /prima donna/ coming forward on the boards； of
which ironical smiles would soon have cured her in the capital。
But after she had acquired this stock of absurdities； and； deceived by
her worshipers； imagined them to be added graces； a moment of terrible
awakening came upon her like the fall of an avalanche from a mountain。
In one day she was crushed by a frightful comparison。
In 1829； after the departure of Monsieur de Chargeboeuf； she was
excited by the anticipation of a little pleasure； she was expecting
the Baronne de Fontaine。 Anna's husband； who was now Director…General
under the Minister of Finance； took advantage of leave of absence on
the occasion of his father's death to take his wife to Italy。 Anna
wished to spend the day at Sancerre with her school…friend。 This
meeting was strangely disastrous。 Anna； who at school had been far
less handsome than Dinah； now； as Baronne de Fontaine； was a thousand
times handsomer than the Baronne de la Baudraye； in spite of her
fatigue and her traveling dress。 Anna stepped out of an elegant
traveling chaise loaded with Paris milliners' boxes； and she had with
her a lady's maid； whose airs quite frightened Dinah。 All the
difference between a woman of Paris and a provincial was at once
evident to Dinah's intelligent eye； she saw herself as her friend saw
herand Anna found her altered beyond recognition。 Anna spent six
thousand francs a year on herself alone； as much as kept the whole
household at La Baudraye。
In twenty…four hours the friends had exchanged many confidences； and
the Parisian； seeing herself so far superior to the phoenix of
Mademoiselle Chamarolles' school； showed her provincial friend such
kindness； such attentions； while giving her certain explanations； as
were so many stabs to Dinah； though she perfectly understood that
Anna's advantages all lay on the surface； while her own were for ever
buried。
When Anna had left； Madame de la Baudraye； by this time two…and…
twenty； fell into the depths of despair。
〃What is it that ails you？〃 asked Monsieur de Clagny； seeing her so
dejected。
〃Anna；〃 said she； 〃has learned to live； while I have been learning to
endure。〃
A tragi…comedy was； in fact； being enacted in Madame de la Baudraye's
house； in harmony with her struggles over money matters and her
successive transformationsa drama to which no one but Monsieur de
Clagny and the Abbe Duret ever knew the clue； when Dinah in sheer
idleness； or perhaps sheer vanity； revealed the secret of her
anonymous fame。
Though a mixture of verse and prose is a monstrous anomaly in French
literature； there must be exceptions to the rule。 This tale will be
one of the two instances in these Studies of violation of the laws of
narrative； for to give a just idea of the unconfessed struggle which
may excuse； though it cannot absolve Dinah； it is necessary to give an
analysis of a poem which was the outcome of her deep despair。
Her patience and her resignation alike broken by the departure of the
Vicomte de Chargeboeuf； Dinah took the worthy Abbe's advice to exhale
her evil thoughts in versea proceeding which perhaps accounts for
some poets。
〃You will find such relief as those who write epitaphs or elegies over
those whom they have lost。 Pain is soothed in the heart as lines surge
up in the brain。〃
This strange production caused a great ferment in the departments of
the Allier； the Nievre； and the Cher； proud to possess a poet capable
of rivalry with the glories of Paris。 /Paquita la Sevillane/； by /Jan
Diaz/； was published in the /Echo du Morvan/； a review which for
eighteen months maintained its existence in spite of provincial
indifference。 Some knowing persons at Nevers declared that Jan Diaz
was making fun of the new school； just then bringing out its eccentric
verse； full of vitality and imagery； and of brilliant effects produced
by defying the Muse under pretext of adapting German； English； and
Romanesque mannerisms。
The poem began with this ballad：
Ah！ if you knew the fragrant plain；
The air； the sky； of golden Spain；
Its fervid noons； its balmy spring；
Sad daughters of the northern gloom；
Of love； of heav'n； of native home；
You never would presume to sing！
For men are there of other mould
Than those who live in this dull cold。
And there to music low and sweet
Sevillian maids； from eve till dawn；
Dance lightly on the moonlit lawn
In satin shoes； on dainty feet。
Ah； you would be the first to blush
Over your dancers' romp and rush；
And your too hideous carnival；
That turns your cheeks all chill and blue；
And skips the mud in hob…nail'd shoe
A truly dismal festival。
To pale…faced girls； and in a squalid room；
Paquita sang； the murky town beneath
Was Rouen whence the slender spires rise
To chew the storm with teeth。
Rouen so hideous； noisy； full of rage
And here followed a magnificent description of Rouenwhere Dinah had
never beenwritten with the affected brutality which； a little later；
inspired so many imitations of Juvenal； a contrast drawn between the
life of a manufacturing town and the careless life of Spain； between
the love of Heaven and of human beauty； and the worship of machinery；
in short； between poetry and sordid money…making。
Then Jan Diaz accounted for Paquita's horror of Normandy by saying：
Seville； you see； had been her native home；
Seville； where skies are blue and evening sweet。
She； at thirteen； the sovereign of the town；
Had lovers at her feet。
For her three Toreadors had gone to death
Or victory； the prize to be a kiss
One kiss from those red lips of sweetest breath
A longed…for touch of bliss！
The features of the Spanish girl's portrait have served so often as
those of the courtesan in so many self…styled /poems/； that it would
be tiresome to quote here the hundred lines of description。 To judge
of the lengths to which audacity had carried Dinah； it will be enough
to give the conclusion。 According to Madame de la Baudraye's ardent
pen； Paquita was so entirely created for love that she can hardly have
met with a knight worthy of her； for
。 。 。 。 In her passionate fire
Every man would have swooned from the heat；
When she at love's feast； in her fervid desire；
As yet had but taken her seat。
〃And yet she could quit the joys of Seville； its woods and fields of
orange…trees； for a Norman soldier who won her love and carried her
away to his hearth and home。 She did not weep for her Andalusia； the
Soldier was her whole joy。 。 。 。 But the day came when he was
compelled to start for Russia in the footsteps of the great Emperor。〃
Nothing could be more dainty than the description of the parting
between the Spanish girl and the Normandy Captain of Artillery； who；
in the delirium of passion expressed with feeling worthy of Byron；
exacted from Paquita a vow of absolute fidelity； in the Cathedral at
Rouen in front of the alter of the Blessed Virgin； who
Though a Maid is a woman； and never forgives
When lovers are false to their vows。
A large part of the poem was devoted to describing Paquita's
sufferings when alone in Rouen waiting till the campaign was over； s