as she had supposed； a mere domestic squabble； but when she forced an
explanation with her 〃insect；〃 as Monsieur Gravier called him； she
found the cold； hard impassibility of steel。 She flew into a passion；
she reproached him for her life these eleven years past； she made
intentionallywhat women call a scene。 But 〃little La Baudraye〃 sat
in an armchair with his eyes shut； and listened phlegmatically to the
storm。 And； as usual； the dwarf got the better of his wife。 Dinah saw
that she had done wrong in writing； she vowed never to write another
line； and she kept her vow。
Then was there desolation in the Sancerrois。
〃Why did not Madame de la Baudraye compose any more verses？〃 was the
universal cry。
At this time Madame de la Baudraye had no enemies； every one rushed to
see her； not a week passed without fresh introductions。 The wife of
the presiding judge； an august /bourgeoise/； /nee/ Popinot…Chandier；
desired her son； a youth of two…and…twenty； to pay his humble respects
to La Baudraye； and flattered herself that she might see her Gatien in
the good graces of this Superior Woman。The words Superior Woman had
superseded the absurd nickname of /The Sappho of Saint…Satur/。This
lady； who for nine years had led the opposition； was so delighted at
the good reception accorded to her son； that she became loud in her
praises of the Muse of Sancerre。
〃After all；〃 she exclaimed； in reply to a tirade from Madame de
Clagny； who hated her husband's supposed mistress； 〃she is the
handsomest and cleverest woman in the whole province！〃
After scrambling through so many brambles and setting off on so many
different roads； after dreaming of love in splendor and scenting the
darkest dramas； thinking such terrible joys would be cheaply purchased
so weary was she of her dreary existence； one day Dinah fell into the
pit she had sworn to avoid。 Seeing Monsieur de Clagny always
sacrificing himself； and at last refusing a high appointment in Paris；
where his family wanted to see him； she said to herself； 〃He loves
me！〃 She vanquished her repulsion； and seemed willing to reward so
much constancy。
It was to this impulse of generosity on her part that a coalition was
due； formed in Sancerre to secure the return of Monsieur de Clagny at
the next elections。 Madame de la Baudraye had dreamed of going to
Paris in the wake of the new deputy。
But； in spite of the most solemn promises； the hundred and fifty votes
to be recorded in favor of this adorer of the lovely Dinahwho hoped
to see this defender of the widow and the orphan wearing the gown of
the Keeper of the Sealsfigured as an imposing minority of fifty
votes。 The jealousy of the President de Boirouge； and Monsieur
Gravier's hatred； for he believed in the candidate's supremacy in
Dinah's heart； had been worked upon by a young Sous…prefet； and for
this worthy deed the allies got the young man made a prefet elsewhere。
〃I shall never cease to regret；〃 said he； as he quitted Sancerre；
〃that I did not succeed in pleasing Madame de la Baudraye； that would
have made my triumph complete！〃
The household that was thus racked by domestic troubles was calm on
the surface； here were two ill…assorted but resigned beings； and the
indescribable propriety； the lie that society insists on； and which to
Dinah was an unendurable yoke。 Why did she long to throw off the mask
she had worn for twelve years？ Whence this weariness which； every day；
increased her hope of finding herself a widow？
The reader who has noted all the phases of her existence will have
understood the various illusions by which Dinah； like many another
woman； had been deceived。 After an attempt to master Monsieur de la
Baudraye； she had indulged the hope of becoming a mother。 Between
those miserable disputes over household matters and the melancholy
conviction as to her fate； quite a long time had elapsed。 Then； when
she had looked for consolation； the consoler； Monsieur de Chargeboeuf
had left her。 Thus； the overwhelming temptation which commonly causes
women to sin had hitherto been absent。 For if there are； after all；
some women who make straight for unfaithfulness； are there not many
more who cling to hope； and do not fall till they have wandered long
in a labyrinth of secret woes？
Such was Dinah。 She had so little impulse to fail in her duty； that
she did not care enough for Monsieur de Clagny to forgive him his
defeat。
Then the move to the Chateau d'Anzy； the rearrangement of her
collected treasures and curiosities； which derived added value from
the splendid setting which Philibert de Lorme seemed to have planned
on purpose for this museum； occupied her for several months； giving
her leisure to meditate one of those decisive steps that startle the
public； ignorant of the motives which； however； it sometimes discovers
by dint of gossip and suppositions。
Madame de la Baudraye had been greatly struck by the reputation of
Lousteau； who was regarded as a lady's man of the first water in
consequence of his intimacies among actresses； she was anxious to know
him； she read his books； and was fired with enthusiasm； less perhaps
for his talents than for his successes with women； and to attract him
to the country； she started the notion that it was obligatory on
Sancerre to return one of its great men at the elections。 She made
Gatien Boirouge write to the great physician Bianchon； whom he claimed
as a cousin through the Popinots。 Then she persuaded an old friend of
the departed Madame Lousteau to stir up the journalist's ambitions by
letting him know that certain persons in Sancerre were firmly bent on
electing a deputy from among the distinguished men in Paris。
Tired of her commonplace neighbors； Madame de la Baudraye would thus
at last meet really illustrious men； and might give her fall the
lustre of fame。
Neither Lousteau nor Bianchon replied； they were waiting perhaps till
the holidays。 Bianchon； who had won his professor's chair the year
before after a brilliant contest； could not leave his lectures。
In the month of September； when the vintage was at its height； the two
Parisians arrived in their native province； and found it absorbed in
the unremitting toil of the wine…crop of 1836； there could therefore
be no public demonstration in their favor。 〃We have fallen flat；〃 said
Lousteau to his companion； in the slang of the stage。
In 1836； Lousteau； worn by sixteen years of struggle in the Capital；
and aged quite as much by pleasure as by penury； hard work； and
disappointments； looked eight…and…forty； though he was no more than
thirty…seven。 He was already bald； and had assumed a Byronic air in
harmony with his early decay and the lines furrowed in his face by
over…indulgence in champagne。 He ascribed these signs…manual of
dissipation to the severities of a literary life； declaring that the
Press was murderous； and he gave it to be understood that it consumed
superior talents； so as to lend a grace to his exhaustion。 In his
native town he thought proper to exaggerate his affected contempt of
life and his spurious misanthropy。 Still； his eyes could flash with
fire like a volcano supposed to be extinct； and he endeavored； by
dressing fashionably； to make up for the lack of youth that might
strike a woman's eye。
Horace Bianchon； who wore the ribbon of the Legion of Honor； was fat
and burly； as beseems a fashionable physician； with a patriarchal air；
his hair thick and long； a prominent brow； the frame of a hard worker；
and the calm expression of a philosopher。 This somewhat prosaic
personality set off his more frivolous companion to advantage。
The two great men remained unrecognized during a whole morning at the
inn where they had put up； and it was only by chance that Monsieur de
Clagny heard of their arrival。 Madame de la Baudraye； in despair at
this； despatched Gatien Boirouge； who had no vineyards； to beg the two
gentlemen to spend a few days at the Chateau d'Anzy。 For the last year
Dinah had played the chatelaine； and spent the winter only at La
Baudraye。 Monsieur Gravier； the Public Prosecutor； the Presiding
Judge； and Gatien Boirouge combined to give a banquet to the great
men； to meet the literary personages of the town。
On hearing that the beautiful Madame de la Baudraye was Jan Diaz； the
Parisians went to spend three days at Anzy； fetched in a sort of
wagonette driven by Gatien himself。 The young man； under a genuine
illusion； spoke of Madame de la Baudraye not only as the handsomest
woman in those parts； a woman so superior that she might give George
Sand a qualm； but as a woman who would produce a great sensation in
Paris。 Hence the extreme though suppressed astonishment of Doctor
Bianchon and the waggish journalist when they beheld； on the garden
steps of Anzy； a lady dressed in thin black cashmere with a deep
tucker； in effect like a riding…habit cut short； for they quite
understood the pretentiousness of such extreme simplicity。 Dinah also
wore a black velvet cap； like that in the portrait of Raphael； and
below it her hair fell in thick curls。 This attire showed off a rather
pretty figure； fine eyes； and handsome eyelids somewhat faded by the
weariful life that has been described。 In Le Berry the singularity of
this /artistic/ costume was a cloak for the romantic affectations of
the Superior Woman。
On seeing the affectations of their too amiable hostesswhich were；
indeed； affectations of soul and mindthe friends glanced at each
other； and put on a deeply serious expression to listen to Madame de
la Baudraye； who made them a set speech of thanks for coming to cheer
the monotony of her days。 Dinah walked her guests round and round the
lawn； ornamented with large vases of flowers； which lay in front of
the Chateau d'Anzy。
〃How is it；〃 said Lousteau； the practical joker； 〃that so handsome a
woman as you； and apparently so superior； should have remained buried
in the country？ What do you do to make life endurable？〃
〃Ah！ that is the crux；〃 said the lady。 〃It is unendurable。 Utter
despair or dull resignationthere is no third alternative； that is
the arid soil in which our existence is rooted； and on which a
thousand stagnant ideas fall； they cannot fertilize the grou