of the Citizen…King； could a Tullia； now metamorphosed into a Mme。 du
Bruel； be accepted in the society which her good sense prevented her
from attempting to enter。 Mme。 de Bonfalot； Mme。 de Chisse； and Mme。
du Bruel received her； she was satisfied。 She took up the position of
a well…conducted； simple； and virtuous woman； and never acted out of
character。 In three years' time she was introduced to the friends of
these ladies。
〃 'And still I cannot persuade myself that young Mme。 du Bruel used to
display her ankles； and the rest； to all Paris； with the light of a
hundred gas…jets pouring upon her；' Mme。 Anselme Popinot remarked
naively。
〃From this point of view； July 1830 inaugurated an era not unlike the
time of the Empire； when a waiting woman was received at Court in the
person of Mme。 Garat； a chief…justice's 'lady。' Tullia had completely
broken； as you may guess； with all her old associates； of her former
acquaintances； she only recognized those who could not compromise her。
At the time of her marriage she had taken a very charming little hotel
between a court and a garden； lavishing money on it with wild
extravagance and putting the best part of her furniture and du Bruel's
into it。 Everything that she thought common or ordinary was sold。 To
find anything comparable to her sparkling splendor； you could only
look back to the days when Sophie Arnould； a Guimard； or a Duthe； in
all her glory； squandered the fortunes of princes。
〃How far did this sumptuous existence affect du Bruel？ It is a
delicate question to ask； and a still more delicate one to answer。 A
single incident will suffice to give you an idea of Tullia's
crotchets。 Her bed…spread of Brussels lace was worth ten thousand
francs。 A famous actress had another like it。 As soon as Claudine
heard this； she allowed her cat； a splendid Angora； to sleep on the
bed。 That trait gives you the woman。 Du Bruel dared not say a word； he
was ordered to spread abroad that challenge in luxury； so that it
might reach the other。 Tullia was very fond of this gift from the Duc
de Rhetore； but one day； five years after her marriage； she played
with her cat to such purpose that the coverletfurbelows； flounces；
and allwas torn to shreds； and replaced by a sensible quilt； a quilt
that was a quilt； and not a symptom of the peculiar form of insanity
which drives these women to make up by an insensate luxury for the
childish days when they lived on raw apples； to quote the expression
of a journalist。 The day when the bed…spread was torn to tatters
marked a new epoch in her married life。
〃Cursy was remarkable for his ferocious industry。 Nobody suspects the
source to which Paris owes the patch…and…powder eighteenth century
vaudevilles that flooded the stage。 Those thousand…and…one
vaudevilles； which raised such an outcry among the /feuilletonistes/；
were written at Mme。 du Bruel's express desire。 She insisted that her
husband should purchase the hotel on which she had spent so much；
where she had housed five hundred thousand francs' worth of furniture。
Wherefore Tullia never enters into explanations； she understands the
sovereign woman's reason to admiration。
〃 'People made a good deal of fun of Cursy；' said she； 'but； as a
matter of fact； he found this house in the eighteenth century rouge…
box； powder； puffs； and spangles。 He would never have thought of it
but for me；' she added； burying herself in the cushions in her
fireside corner。
〃She delivered herself thus on her return from a first night。 Du
Bruel's piece had succeeded； and she foresaw an avalanche of
criticisms。 Tullia had her At Homes。 Every Monday she gave a tea…
party； her society was as select as might be； and she neglected
nothing that could make her house pleasant。 There was a bouillotte in
one room； conversation in another； and sometimes a concert （always
short） in the large drawing…room。 None but the most eminent artists
performed in the house。 Tullia had so much good sense； that she
attained to the most exquisite tact； and herein； in all probability；
lay the secret of her ascendency over du Bruel； at any rate； he loved
her with the love which use and wont at length makes indispensable to
life。 Every day adds another thread to the strong； irresistible；
intangible web； which enmeshes the most delicate fancies； takes
captive every most transient mood； and binding them together； holds a
man captive hand and foot； heart and head。
〃Tullia knew Cursy well； she knew every weak point in his armor； knew
also how to heal his wounds。
〃A passion of this kind is inscrutable for any observer； even for a
man who prides himself； as I do； on a certain expertness。 It is
everywhere unfathomable； the dark depths in it are darker than in any
other mystery； the colors confused even in the highest lights。
〃Cursy was an old playwright； jaded by the life of the theatrical
world。 He liked comfort； he liked a luxurious； affluent； easy
existence； he enjoyed being a king in his own house； he liked to be
host to a party of men of letters in a hotel resplendent with royal
luxury； with carefully chosen works of art shining in the setting。
Tullia allowed du Bruel to enthrone himself amid the tribe； there were
plenty of journalists whom it was easy enough to catch and ensnare；
and； thanks to her evening parties and a well…timed loan here and
there； Cursy was not attacked too seriouslyhis plays succeeded。 For
these reasons he would not have separated from Tullia for an empire。
If she had been unfaithful； he would probably have passed it over； on
condition that none of his accustomed joys should be retrenched； yet；
strange to say； Tullia caused him no twinges on this account。 No fancy
was laid to her charge； if there had been any； she certainly had been
very careful of appearances。
〃 'My dear fellow；' du Bruel would say； laying down the law to us on
the boulevard； 'there is nothing like one of these women who have sown
their wild oats and got over their passions。 Such women as Claudine
have lived their bachelor life； they have been over head and ears in
pleasure； and make the most adorable wives that could be wished； they
have nothing to learn； they are formed； they are not in the least
prudish； they are well broken in； and indulgent。 So I strongly
recommend everybody to take the 〃remains of a racer。〃 I am the most
fortunate man on earth。'
〃Du Bruel said this to me himself with Bixiou there to hear it。
〃 'My dear fellow；' said the caricaturist； 'perhaps he is right to be
in the wrong。'
〃About a week afterwards； du Bruel asked us to dine with him one
Tuesday。 That morning I went to see him on a piece of theatrical
business； a case submitted to us for arbitration by the commission of
dramatic authors。 We were obliged to go out again； but before we
started he went to Claudine's room； knocked； as he always does； and
asked for leave to enter。
〃 'We live in grand style；' said he； smiling； 'we are free。 Each is
independent。'
〃We were admitted。 Du Bruel spoke to Claudine。 'I have asked a few
people to dinner to…day〃
〃 'Just like you！' cried she。 'You ask people without speaking to me；
I count for nothing here。Now' （taking me as arbitrator by a glance）
'I ask you yourself。 When a man has been so foolish as to live with a
woman of my sort； for； after all； I was an opera danceryes； I ought
always to remember that； if other people are to forget itwell； under
those circumstances； a clever man seeking to raise his wife in public
opinion would do his best to impose her upon the world as a remarkable
woman； to justify the step he had taken by acknowledging that in some
ways she was something more than ordinary women。 The best way of
compelling respect from others is to pay respect to her at home； and
to leave her absolute mistress of the house。 Well； and yet it is
enough to awaken one's vanity to see how frightened he is of seeming
to listen to me。 I must be in the right ten times over if he concedes
a single point。'
〃（Emphatic negative gestures from du Bruel at every other word。）
〃 'Oh； yes； yes；' she continued quickly； in answer to this mute
dissent。 'I know all about it； du Bruel； my dear； I that have been
like a queen in my house all my life till I married you。 My wishes
were guessed； fulfilled； and more than fulfilled。 After all； I am
thirty…five； and at five…and…thirty a woman cannot expect to be loved。
Ah； if I were a girl of sixteen； if I had not lost something that is
dearly bought at the Opera； what attention you would pay me； M。 du
Bruel！ I feel the most supreme contempt for men who boast that they
can love and grow careless and neglectful in little things as time
grows on。 You are short and insignificant； you see； du Bruel； you love
to torment a woman； it is your only way of showing your strength。 A
Napoleon is ready to be swayed by the woman he loves； he loses nothing
by it； but as for such as you； you believe that you are nothing
apparently； you do not wish to be ruled。Five…and…thirty； my dear
boy；' she continued； turning to me； 'that is the clue to the riddle。
〃No；〃 does he say again？You know quite well that I am thirty…seven。
I am very sorry； but just ask your friends to dine at the /Rocher de
Cancale/。 I /could/ have them here； but I will not； they shall not
come。 And then perhaps my poor little monologue may engrave that
salutary maxim； 〃Each is master at home；〃 upon your memory。 That is
our character；' she added； laughing； with a return of the opera girl's
giddiness and caprice。
〃 'Well； well； my dear little puss； there； there； never mind。 We can
manage to get on together；' said du Bruel； and he kissed her hands；
and we came away。 But he was very wroth。
〃The whole way from the Rue de la Victoire to the boulevard a perfect
torrent of venomous words poured from his mouth like a waterfall in
flood； but as the shocking language which he used on occasion was
quite unfit to print； the report is necessarily inadequate。
〃 'My dear fellow； I will leave that vile； shameless opera dancer； a
worn…out jade that has been set spinning like a top to every operatic
air； a foul hussy； an organ…grinder's monkey！ Oh； my dear boy； you
have taken up with an actress； may the notion of marrying your