carriage。 It was raining in torrents。 La Palferine had thought of
everything。 He offered to drive the official to the next house on his
list； and when the almoner came down again； he found the carriage
waiting for him at the door。 The man in livery handed him a note
written in pencil：
〃 'The carriage has been engaged for three days。 Count Rusticoli
de la Palferine is too happy to associate himself with Court
charities by lending wings to Royal beneficence。'
〃La Palferine now calls the civil list the uncivil list。
〃He was once passionately loved by a lady of somewhat light conduct。
Antonia lived in the Rue du Helder； she had seen and been seen to some
extent； but at the time of her acquaintance with La Palferine she had
not yet 'an establishment。' Antonia was not wanting in the insolence
of old days； now degenerating into rudeness among women of her class。
After a fortnight of unmixed bliss； she was compelled； in the interest
of her civil list； to return to a less exclusive system； and La
Palferine； discovering a certain lack of sincerity in her dealings
with him； sent Madame Antonia a note which made her famous。
〃 'MADAME；Your conduct causes me much surprise and no less
distress。 Not content with rending my heart with your disdain； you
have been so little thoughtful as to retain a toothbrush； which my
means will not permit me to replace； my estates being mortgaged
beyond their value。
〃 'Adieu； too fair and too ungrateful friend！ May we meet again in
a better world。
〃 'CHARLES EDWARD。'
〃Assuredly （to avail ourselves yet further of Sainte…Beuve's
Babylonish dialect）； this far outpasses the raillery of Sterne's
/Sentimental Journey/； it might be Scarron without his grossness。 Nay；
I do not know but that Moliere in his lighter mood would not have said
of it； as of Cyrano de Bergerac's best'This is mine。' Richelieu
himself was not more complete when he wrote to the princess waiting
for him in the Palais Royal'Stay there； my queen； to charm the
scullion lads。' At the same time； Charles Edward's humor is less
biting。 I am not sure that this kind of wit was known among the Greeks
and Romans。 Plato； possibly； upon a closer inspection approaches it；
but from the austere and musical side〃
〃No more of that jargon；〃 the Marquise broke in； 〃in print it may be
endurable； but to have it grating upon my ears is a punishment which I
do not in the least deserve。〃
〃He first met Claudine on this wise；〃 continued Nathan。 〃It was one of
the unfilled days； when Youth is a burden to itself； days when youth；
reduced by the overweening presumption of Age to a condition of
potential energy and dejection； emerges therefrom （like Blondet under
the Restoration）； either to get into mischief or to set about some
colossal piece of buffoonery； half excused by the very audacity of its
conception。 La Palferine was sauntering； cane in hand； up and down the
pavement between the Rue de Grammont and the Rue de Richelieu； when in
the distance he descried a woman too elegantly dressed； covered； as he
phrased it； with a great deal of portable property； too expensive and
too carelessly worn for its owner to be other than a princess of the
court or of the stage； it was not easy at first to say which。 But
after July 1830； in his opinion； there is no mistaking the indications
the princess can only be a princess of the stage。
〃The Count came up and walked by her side as if she had given him an
assignation。 He followed her with a courteous persistence； a
persistence in good taste； giving the lady from time to time； and
always at the right moment； an authoritative glance； which compelled
her to submit to his escort。 Anybody but La Palferine would have been
frozen by his reception； and disconcerted by the lady's first efforts
to rid herself of her cavalier； by her chilly air； her curt speeches；
but no gravity； with all the will in the world； could hold out long
against La Palferine's jesting replies。 The fair stranger went into
her milliner's shop。 Charles Edward followed； took a seat； and gave
his opinions and advice like a man that meant to pay。 This coolness
disturbed the lady。 She went out。
〃On the stairs she spoke to her persecutor。
〃 'Monsieur； I am about to call upon one of my husband's relatives； an
elderly lady； Mme。 de Bonfalot'
〃 'Ah！ Mme。 de Bonfalot； charmed； I am sure。 I am going there。'
〃The pair accordingly went。 Charles Edward came in with the lady；
every one believed that she had brought him with her。 He took part in
the conversation； was lavish of his polished and brilliant wit。 The
visit lengthened out。 That was not what he wanted。
〃 'Madame；' he said； addressing the fair stranger； 'do not forget that
your husband is waiting for us； and only allowed us a quarter of an
hour。'
〃Taken aback by such boldness （which； as you know； is never
displeasing to you women）； led captive by the conqueror's glance； by
the astute yet candid air which Charles Edward can assume when he
chooses； the lady rose； took the arm of her self…constituted escort；
and went downstairs； but on the threshold she stopped to speak to him。
〃 'Monsieur； I like a joke'
〃 'And so do I。'
〃She laughed。
〃 'But this may turn to earnest；' he added； 'it only rests with you。 I
am the Comte de la Palferine； and I am delighted that it is in my
power to lay my heart and my fortune at your feet。'
〃La Palferine was at that time twenty…two years old。 （This happened in
1834。） Luckily for him； he was fashionably dressed。 I can paint his
portrait for you in a few words。 He was the living image of Louis
XIII。； with the same white forehead and gracious outline of the
temples； the same olive skin （that Italian olive tint which turns
white where the light falls on it）； the brown hair worn rather long；
the black 'royale；' the grave and melancholy expression； for La
Palferine's character and exterior were amazingly at variance。
〃At the sound of the name； and the sight of its owner； something like
a quiver thrilled through Claudine。 La Palferine saw the vibration；
and shot a glance at her out of the dark depths of almond…shaped eyes
with purpled lids； and those faint lines about them which tell of
pleasures as costly as painful fatigue。 With those eyes upon her； she
said'Your address？'
〃 'What want of address！'
〃 'Oh； pshaw！' she said； smiling。 'A bird on the bough？'
〃 'Good…bye； madame； you are such a woman as I seek； but my fortune is
far from equaling my desire'
〃He bowed； and there and then left her。 Two days later； by one of the
strange chances that can only happen in Paris； he had betaken himself
to a money…lending wardrobe dealer to sell such of his clothing as he
could spare。 He was just receiving the price with an uneasy air； after
long chaffering； when the stranger lady passed and recognized him。
〃 'Once for all；' cried he to the bewildered wardrobe dealer； 'I tell
you I am not going to take your trumpet！'
〃He pointed to a huge； much…dinted musical instrument； hanging up
outside against a background of uniforms； civil and military。 Then；
proudly and impetuously； he followed the lady。
〃From that great day of the trumpet these two understood one another
to admiration。 Charles Edward's ideas on the subject of love are as
sound as possible。 According to him； a man cannot love twice； there is
but one love in his lifetime； but that love is a deep and shoreless
sea。 It may break in upon him at any time； as the grace of God found
St。 Paul； and a man may live sixty years and never know love。 Perhaps；
to quote Heine's superb phrase； it is 'the secret malady of the heart'
a sense of the Infinite that there is within us； together with the
revelation of the ideal Beauty in its visible form。 This love； in
short； comprehends both the creature and creation。 But so long as
there is no question of this great poetical conception； the loves that
cannot last can only be taken lightly； as if they were in a manner
snatches of song compared with Love the epic。
〃To Charles Edward the adventure brought neither the thunderbolt
signal of love's coming； nor yet that gradual revelation of an inward
fairness which draws two natures by degrees more and more strongly
each to each。 For there are but two ways of lovelove at first sight；
doubtless akin to the Highland 'second…sight；' and that slow fusion of
two natures which realizes Plato's 'man…woman。' But if Charles Edward
did not love； he was loved to distraction。 Claudine found love made
complete； body and soul； in her； in short； La Palferine awakened the
one passion of her life； while for him Claudine was only a most
charming mistress。 The Devil himself； a most potent magician
certainly； with all hell at his back； could never have changed the
natures of these two unequal fires。 I dare affirm that Claudine not
unfrequently bored Charles Edward。
〃 'Stale fish and the woman you do not love are only fit to fling out
of the window after three days；' he used to say。
〃In Bohemia there is little secrecy observed over these affairs。 La
Palferine used to talk a good deal of Claudine； but； at the same time；
none of us saw her； nor so much as knew her name。 For us Claudine was
almost a mythical personage。 All of us acted in the same way；
reconciling the requirements of our common life with the rules of good
taste。 Claudine； Hortense； the Baroness； the Bourgeoise； the Empress；
the Spaniard； the Lioness；these were cryptic titles which permitted
us to pour out our joys； our cares； vexations； and hopes； and to
communicate our discoveries。 Further； none of us went。 It has been
shown； in Bohemia； that chance discovered the identity of the fair
unknown； and at once； as by tacit convention； not one of us spoke of
her again。 This fact may show how far youth possesses a sense of true
delicacy。 How admirably certain natures of a finer clay know the limit
line where jest must end； and all that host of things French covered
by the slang word /blague/； a word which will shortly be cast out of
the language （let us hope）； and yet it is the only one which conveys
an idea of the spirit of Bohemia。
〃So we often used to joke about Claudine and the Count'/Toujours
Claudine？/' sung to the air