A large part of the poem was devoted to describing Paquita's
sufferings when alone in Rouen waiting till the campaign was over； she
stood writhing at the window bars as she watched happy couples go by；
she suppressed her passion in her heart with a determination that
consumed her； she lived on narcotics； and exhausted herself in dreams。
Almost she died； but still her heart was true；
And when at last her soldier came again；
He found her beauty ever fresh and new
He had not loved in vain！
〃But he； pale and frozen by the cold of Russia； chilled to the very
marrow； met his yearning fair one with a melancholy smile。〃
The whole poem was written up to this situation； which was worked out
with such vigor and boldness as too entirely justified the Abbe Duret。
Paquita； on reaching the limits set to real love； did not； like Julie
and Heloise； throw herself into the ideal； no； she rushed into the
paths of vice； which is； no doubt； shockingly natural； but she did it
without any touch of magnificence； for lack of means； as it would be
difficult to find in Rouen men impassioned enough to place Paquita in
a suitable setting of luxury and splendor。 This horrible realism；
emphasized by gloomy poetic feeling； had inspired some passages such
as modern poetry is too free with； rather too like the flayed
anatomical figures known to artists as /ecorches/。 Then； by a highly
philosophical revulsion； after describing the house of ill…fame where
the Andalusian ended her days； the writer came back to the ballad at
the opening：
Paquita now is faded； shrunk； and old；
But she it was who sang：
〃If you but knew the fragrant plain；
The air； the sky； of golden Spain；〃 etc。
The gloomy vigor of this poem； running to about six hundred lines； and
serving as a powerful foil； to use a painter's word； to the two
/seguidillas/ at the beginning and end； the masculine utterance of
inexpressible grief； alarmed the woman who found herself admired by
three departments； under the black cloak of the anonymous。 While she
fully enjoyed the intoxicating delights of success； Dinah dreaded the
malignity of provincial society； where more than one woman； if the
secret should slip out； would certainly find points of resemblance
between the writer and Paquita。 Reflection came too late； Dinah
shuddered with shame at having made 〃copy〃 of some of her woes。
〃Write no more；〃 said the Abbe Duret。 〃You will cease to be a woman；
you will be a poet。〃
Moulins； Nevers； Bourges were searched to find Jan Diaz； but Dinah was
impenetrable。 To remove any evil impression； in case any unforeseen
chance should betray her name； she wrote a charming poem in two cantos
on /The Mass…Oak/； a legend of the Nivernais：
〃Once upon a time the folks of Nevers and the folks of Saint…Saulge；
at war with each other； came at daybreak to fight a battle； in which
one or other should perish； and met in the forest of Faye。 And then
there stood between them； under an oak； a priest whose aspect in the
morning sun was so commanding that the foes at his bidding heard Mass
as he performed it under the oak； and at the words of the Gospel they
made friends。〃The oak is still shown in the forest of Faye。
This poem； immeasurably superior to /Paquita la Sevillane/； was far
less admired。
After these two attempts Madame de la Baudraye； feeling herself a
poet； had a light on her brow and a flash in her eyes that made her
handsomer than ever。 She cast longing looks at Paris； aspiring to fame
and fell back into her den of La Baudraye； her daily squabbles with
her husband； and her little circle； where everybody's character；
intentions； and remarks were too well known not to have become a bore。
Though she found relief from her dreary life in literary work； and
poetry echoed loudly in her empty life； though she thus found an
outlet for her energies； literature increased her hatred of the gray
and ponderous provincial atmosphere。
When； after the Revolution of 1830； the glory of George Sand was
reflected on Le Berry； many a town envied La Chatre the privilege of
having given birth to this rival of Madame de Stael and Camille
Maupin； and were ready to do homage to minor feminine talent。 Thus
there arose in France a vast number of tenth Muses； young girls or
young wives tempted from a silent life by the bait of glory。 Very
strange doctrines were proclaimed as to the part women should play in
society。 Though the sound common sense which lies at the root of the
French nature was not perverted； women were suffered to express ideas
and profess opinions which they would not have owned to a few years
previously。
Monsieur de Clagny took advantage of this outbreak of freedom to
collect the works of Jan Diaz in a small volume printed by Desroziers
at Moulins。 He wrote a little notice of the author； too early snatched
from the world of letters； which was amusing to those who were in the
secret； but which even then had not the merit of novelty。 Such
practical jokes； capital so long as the author remains unknown； fall
rather flat if subsequently the poet stands confessed。
From this point of view； however； the memoir of Jan Diaz； born at
Bourges in 1807； the son of a Spanish prisoner； may very likely some
day deceive the compiler of some /Universal Biography/。 Nothing is
overlooked； neither the names of the professors at the Bourges
College； nor those of his deceased schoolfellows； such as Lousteau；
Bianchon； and other famous natives of the province； who； it is said；
knew the dreamy； melancholy boy； and his precocious bent towards
poetry。 An elegy called /Tristesse/ （Melancholy）； written at school；
the two poems /Paquita la Sevillane/ and /Le Chene de la Messe/； three
sonnets； a description of the Cathedral and the House of Jacques Coeur
at Bourges； with a tale called /Carola/； published as the work he was
engaged on at the time of his death； constituted the whole of these
literary remains； and the poet's last hours； full of misery and
despair； could not fail to wring the hearts of the feeling public of
the Nievre； the Bourbonnais； the Cher； and the Morvan； where he died
near Chateau…Chinon； unknown to all； even to the woman he had loved！
Of this little yellow paper volume two hundred copies were printed；
one hundred and fifty were soldabout fifty in each department。 This
average of tender and poetic souls in three departments of France is
enough to revive the enthusiasm of writers as to the /Furia Francese/；
which nowadays is more apt to expend itself in business than in books。
When Monsieur de Clagny had given away a certain number of copies；
Dinah still had seven or eight； wrapped up in the newspapers which had
published notices of the work。 Twenty copies forwarded to the Paris
papers were swamped in the editors' offices。 Nathan was taken in as
well as several of his fellow…countrymen of Le Berry； and wrote an
article on the great man； in which he credited him with all the fine
qualities we discover in those who are dead and buried。
Lousteau； warned by his fellow…schoolfellows； who could not remember
Jan Diaz； waited for information from Sancerre； and learned that Jan
Diaz was a pseudonym assumed by a woman。
Then； in and around Sancerre； Madame de la Baudraye became the rage；
she was the future rival of George Sand。 From Sancerre to Bourges a
poem was praised which； at any other time； would certainly have been
hooted。 The provincial publiclike every French public； perhapsdoes
not share the love of the King of the French for the happy medium： it
lifts you to the skies or drags you in the mud。
By this time the good Abbe； Madame de la Baudraye's counselor； was
dead； he would certainly have prevented her rushing into public life。
But three years of work without recognition weighed on Dinah's soul；
and she accepted the clatter of fame as a substitute for her
disappointed ambitions。 Poetry and dreams of celebrity； which had
lulled her grief since her meeting with Anna Grossetete； no longer
sufficed to exhaust the activity of her morbid heart。 The Abbe Duret；
who had talked of the world when the voice of religion was impotent；
who understood Dinah； and promised her a happy future by assuring her
that God would compensate her for her sufferings bravely endured；
this good old man could no longer stand between the opening to sin and
the handsome young woman he had called his daughter。
The wise old priest had more than once endeavored to enlighten Dinah
as to her husband's character； telling her that the man could hate；
but women are not ready to believe in such force in weak natures； and
hatred is too constantly in action not to be a vital force。 Dinah；
finding her husband incapable of love； denied him the power to hate。
〃Do not confound hatred and vengeance；〃 said the Abbe。 〃They are two
different sentiments。 One is the instinct of small minds； the other is
the outcome of law which great souls obey。 God is avenged； but He does
not hate。 Hatred is a vice of narrow souls； they feed it with all
their meanness； and make it a pretext for sordid tyranny。 So beware of
offending Monsieur de la Baudraye； he would forgive an infidelity；
because he could make capital of it； but he would be doubly implacable
if you should touch him on the spot so cruelly wounded by Monsieur
Milaud of Nevers； and would make your life unendurable。〃
Now； at the time when the whole countrysideNevers and Sancerre； Le
Morvan and Le Berrywas priding itself on Madame de la Baudraye； and
lauding her under the name of Jan Diaz； 〃little La Baudraye〃 felt her
glory a mortal blow。 He alone knew the secret source of /Paquita la
Sevillane/。 When this terrible work was spoken of； everybody said of
Dinah〃Poor woman！ Poor soul！〃
The women rejoiced in being able to pity her who had so long oppressed
them； never had Dinah seemed to stand higher in the eyes of the
neighborhood。
The shriveled old man； more wrinkled； yellower； feebler than ever；
gave no sign； but Dinah sometimes detected in his eyes； as he looked
at her； a sort of icy venom which gave the lie to his increased
politeness and gentleness。 She understood at last that this was not；
as she had supposed； a mere domestic squabble； but when sh