are so lamentably mistaken in our judgments？ Here was a woman in
whom my ignorant eyes saw nothing at all remarkable except golden
hair of unusual beauty。 When I say golden； I am not speaking
loosely。 I do not mean red or flaxen hair； but hair actually
resembling burnished gold more than anything else。 Its ripples on
her brow caught the light like a coronet。 This was her one beauty；
and it was superb。 For the rest； her features were characterless。
Her figure was tall and full； not graceful； but sweepingly
imposing。 At first I noticed nothing about her except the braided
splendor of her glorious hair。〃
He rose； and went into his bedroom； from which he returned with a
small trinket…box in his hand。 This he laid open on the table；
disclosing a long strand of exquisite fair hair lying on a cushion
of dark…blue velvet。
〃Look at that；〃 he said。 〃Might it not have been cut from an
angel's head？〃
〃It is certainly wonderful。〃
〃It must have been hair like this which crowned the infamous head
of Lucrezia Borgia；〃 he said； bitterly。 〃She； too； had golden
hair； but hers must have been of paler tint； like her nature。〃
He resumed his seat； and； fixing his eyes upon the lock； continued：
〃She was one of Ottilie's friendsdear friends； they called each
other；which meant that they kissed each other profusely； and told
each other all their secrets； or as much as the lying nature of the
sex permitted and suggested。 It is； of course； impossible for me
to disentangle my present knowledge from my past impressions so as
to give you a clear description of what I then thought of Agalma。
Enough that； as a matter of fact； I distinctly remember not to have
admired her； and to have told Ottilie so； and when Ottilie； in
surprise at my insensibility； assured me that men were in general
wonderfully charmed with her （though； for her part； she had never
understood why）； I answered； and answered sincerely； that it might
be true with the less refined order of men； but men of taste would
certainly be rather repelled from her。
〃This opinion of mine； or some report of it； reached Agalma。
〃It may have been the proximate cause of my sorrows。 Without this
stimulus to her vanity； she might have left me undisturbed。 I
don't know。 All I know is； that over many men Agalma exercised
great influence； and that over me she exercised the spell of
fascination。 No other word will explain her influence； for it was
not based on excellences such as the mind could recognize to be
attractions； it was based on a mysterious personal power； something
awful in its mysteriousness； as all demoniac powers are。 One
source of her influence over men I think I can explain： she at once
captivated and repelled them。 By artful appeals to their vanity；
she made them interested in her and in her opinion of them； and yet
kept herself inaccessible by a pride which was the more fascinating
because it always seemed about to give way。 Her instinct fastened
upon the weak point in those she approached。 This made her
seductive to men； because she flattered their weak points； and
hateful to women； because she flouted and disclosed their weak
points。
〃Her influence over me began in the following way。 One day； at a
picnic； having been led by her into a conversation respecting the
relative inferiority of the feminine intellect； I was forced to
speak rather more earnestly than usual； when suddenly she turned to
me and exclaimed in a lower voice：
〃'I am willing to credit anything you say； only pray don't continue
talking to me so earnestly。'
〃'Why not？' I asked； surprised。
〃She looked at me with peculiar significance； but remained silent。
〃'May I ask why not？' I asked。
〃'Because； if you do； somebody may be jealous。' There was a
laughing defiance in her eye as she spoke。
〃'And pray； who has a right to be jealous of me？'
〃'Oh！ you know well enough。'
〃It was true； I did know； and she knew that I knew it。 To my shame
be it said that I was weak enough to yield to an equivocation which
I now see to have been disloyal； but which I then pretended to have
been no more than delicacy to Ottilie。 As； in point of fact； there
had never been a word passed between us respecting our mutual
feelings； I considered myself bound in honor to assume that there
was nothing tacitly acknowledged。
〃Piqued by her tone and look； I disavowed the existence of any
claims upon my attention； and to prove the sincerity of my words； I
persisted in addressing my attentions to her。 Once or twice I
fancied I caught flying glances； in which some of the company
criticised my conduct； and Ottilie also seemed to me unusually
quiet。 But her manner； though quiet； was untroubled and unchanged。
I talked less to her than usual； partly because I talked so much to
Agalma； and partly because I felt that Agalma's eyes were on us。
But no shadow of 'temper' or reserve darkened our interchange of
speech。
〃On our way back； I know not what devil prompted me to ask Agalma
whether she had really been in earnest in her former allusion to
'somebody。'
〃'Yes；' she said； 'I was in earnest then。'
〃'And now？'
〃'Now I have doubts。 I may have been misinformed。 It's no concern
of mine； anyway； but I had been given to understand。 However； I
admit that my own eyes have not confirmed what my ears heard。'
〃This speech was irritating on two separate grounds。 It implied
that people were talking freely of my attachment； which； until I
had formally acknowledged it； I resented as an impertinence； and it
implied that； from personal observation； Agalma doubted Ottilie's
feelings for me。 This alarmed my quick…retreating pride！ I； too；
began to doubt。 Once let loose on that field； imagination soon saw
shapes enough to confirm any doubt。 Ottilie's manner certainly had
seemed less tendernay； somewhat indifferentduring the last few
days。 Had the arrival of that heavy lout； her cousin； anything to
do with this change？
〃Not to weary you by recalling all the unfolding stages of this
miserable story with the minuteness of detail which my own memory
morbidly lingers on； I will hurry to the catastrophe。 I grew more
and more doubtful of the existence in Ottilie's mind of any feeling
stronger than friendship for me； and as this doubt strengthened；
there arose the flattering suspicion that I was becoming an object
of greater interest to Agalma； who had quite changed her tone
towards me； and had become serious in her speech and manner。 Weeks
passed。 Ottilie had fallen from her pedestal； and had taken her
place among agreeable acquaintances。 One day I suddenly learned
that Ottilie was engaged to her cousin。
〃You will not wonder that Agalma； who before this had exercised
great fascination over me； now doubly became an object of the most
tender interest。 I fell madly in love。 Hitherto I had never known
that passion。 My feeling for Ottilie I saw was but the
inarticulate stammerings of the mighty voice which now sounded
throught the depths of my nature。 The phrase； madly in love； is no
exaggeration； madness alone knows such a fever of the brain； such a
tumult of the heart。 It was not that reason was overpowered； on
the contrary； reason was intensely active； but active with that
logic of flames which lights up the vision of maniacs。
〃Although； of course； my passion was but too evident to every one；
I dreaded its premature avowal； lest I should lose her； and almost
equally dreaded delay； lest I should suffer from that also。 At
length the avowal was extorted from me by jealousy of a brilliant
PoleKorinskiwho had recently appeared in our circle； and was
obviously casting me in the shade by his superior advantages of
novelty； of personal attraction； and of a romantic history。 She
accepted me； and now； for a time； I was the happiest of mortals。
The fever of the last few weeks was abating； it gave place to a
deep tide of hopeful joy。 Could I have died then！ Could I have
even died shortly afterwards； when I knew the delicious mystery of
a jealousy not too absorbing！ For you must know that my happiness
was brief。 Jealousy； to which all passion of a deep and exacting
power is inevitably allied； soon began to disturb my content。
Agalma had no tenderness。 She permitted caresses； never returned
them。 She was ready enough to listen to all my plans for the
future； so long as the recital moved amid details of fortune and
her position in societythat is； so long as her vanity was
interested； but I began to observe with pain that her thoughts
never rested on tender domesticities and poetic anticipations。
This vexed me more and more。 The very spell which she exercised
over me made her want of tenderness more intolerable。 I yearned
for her lovefor some sympathy with the vehement passion which was
burning within me； and she was as marble。
〃You will not be surprised to hear that I reproached her bitterly
for her indifference。 That is the invariable and fatal folly of
loversthey seem to imagine that a heart can be scolded into
tenderness！ To my reproaches she at first answered impatiently
that they were unjust； that it was not her fault if her nature was
less expansive than mine； and that it was insulting to be told she
was indifferent to the man whom she had consented to marry。 Later
she answered my reproaches with haughty defiance； one day
intimating that if I really thought what I said； and repented our
engagement； it would be most prudent for us to separate ere it was
too late。 This quieted me for a while。 But it brought no balm to
my wounds。
〃And now fresh tortures were added。 Korinski became quite marked
in his attentions to Agalma。 These she received with evident
delight； so much so； that I saw by the glances of others that they
were scandalized at it； and this； of course； increased my pain。 My
renewed reproaches only made her manner colder to me； to Korinski
it became what I would gladly have seen towards myself。
〃The stress and agitation of those days were too much for me。 I
fell ill； and for seven weeks lay utterly prostrate。 On
recovering； this note was handed to me。 It was from Agalma。〃
Bourgonef here held out to me a crumpled letter； and motioned that
I