； in the history of Don Quixote （which I have heard you admire for its common… sense and jovial reasoning） the rather disagreeable adventures of Rosinante and the muleteers； you will have a foretaste of the good luck which the development of Mademoiselle Antonia's new passion brought to us。
Our rival； Beauvisage； is not only a successful stocking…maker and an exemplary mayor； but he is also a model husband； having never tripped in loyalty to his wife； whom he respects and admires。 Every evening； by her orders； he goes to bed before ten o'clock； while Madame Beauvisage and her daughter go into what Arcis is pleased to call society。 But there is no more treacherous water； they say； than still water； just as there was nothing less proper and well…behaved than the calm and peaceable Rosinante on the occasion referred to。
At any rate； while making the tour of his town according to his laudable official habit； Beauvisage from the top of the bridge chanced to catch sight of the fair Parisian who with outstretched arms and gracefully bent body was pursuing her favorite pastime。 A slight movement； the charming impatience with which the pretty fisher twitched her line from the water when the fish had not bitten； was perhaps the electric shock which struck upon the heart of the magistrate； hitherto irreproachable。 No one can say； perhaps； how the thing really came about。 But I ought to remark that during the interregnum that occurred between the making of socks and night…caps and the assumption of municipal duties； Beauvisage himself had practised the art of fishing with a line with distinguished success。 Probably it occurred to him that the poor young lady； having more ardor than science； was not going the right way to work； and the thought of improving her method may have been the real cause of his apparent degeneracy。 However that may be； it is certain that； crossing the bridge in company with her mother； Mademoiselle Beauvisage suddenly cried out； like a true /enfant terrible/；
〃Goodness！ there's papa talking with that Parisian woman！〃
To assure herself at a glance of the monstrous fact； to rush down the bank and reach her husband （whom she found with laughing lips and the happy air of a browsing sheep）； to blast him with a stern 〃What are you doing here？〃 to order his retreat to Arcis with the air of a queen； while Mademoiselle Chocardelle； first astonished and then enlightened as to what it all meant； went off into fits of laughter； took scarcely the time I have taken to tell it。 Such； madame； was the proceeding by which Madame Beauvisage； /nee/ Grevin； rescued her husband； and though that proceeding may be called justifiable； it was certainly injudicious； for before night the whole town had heard of the catastrophe； and Beauvisage； arraigned and convicted by common consent of deplorable immorality； saw fresh desertions taking place in the already winnowed phalanx of his partisans。
However； the Gondreville and Grevin side still held firm； andwould you believe it； madame？it was again Mademoiselle Antonia to whom we owe the overthrow of their last rampart。
Here is the tale of that phenomenon： Mother Marie…des…Anges wanted an interview with the Comte de Gondreville； but how to get it she did not know； because to ask for it was not； as she thought； proper。 Having； it appears； unpleasant things to say to him； she did not wish to bring the old man to the convent expressly to hear them； such a proceeding seemed to her uncharitable。 Besides； things comminatory delivered point…blank will often provoke their recipient instead of alarming him； whereas the same things slipped in sweetly never fail of their effect。 Still； time was passing； the election； as you know； takes place to…morrow； Sunday； and the preparatory meeting of all the candidates and the electors； to…night。 The poor dear saintly woman did not know what course to take； when a little matter occurred； most flattering to her vanity； which solved her doubts。 A pretty sinner； she was told； who had come to Arcis to 〃do〃 Monsieur Keller the financier； then at Gondreville； out of some money； had heard of the virtues and the inexhaustible kindness of Mother Marie…des…Angesin short； she regarded her； after Danton； as the most interesting object of the place； and deeply regretted that she dared not ask to be admitted to her presence。
An hour later the following note was left at the Hotel de la Poste：
Mademoiselle；I am told that you desire to see me； but that you do not know how to accomplish it。 Nothing is easier。 Ring the door…bell of my quiet house； ask to see me； and do not be alarmed at my black robe and aged face。 I am not one of those who force their advice upon pretty young women who do not ask for it； and who may become in time greater saints than I。 That is the whole mystery of obtaining an interview with Mother Marie…des…Anges； who salutes you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ。 ＇Picture of small cross。＇
An invitation so graciously given was not to be resisted； and Mademoiselle Antonia； after putting on the soberest costume she could get together； went to the convent。
I wish I could give you the details of that interview； which must have been curious； but no one was present； and nothing was known except what the lost sheep； who returned in tears； told of it。 When the journalist tried to joke her on this conversion； Mademoiselle Antonia turned upon him。
〃Hold your tongue；〃 she said； 〃you never in your life wrote a sentence like what she said to me。〃
〃What did she say to you？〃
〃'Go； my child；' said that old woman； 'the ways of God are beautiful； and little known； there is often more of a saint in a Magdalen than in a nun。'〃
The journalist laughed； but scenting danger he said；
〃When are you going again to Gondreville to see that Keller？ If he doesn't pay the money soon； I'll hit him a blow in some article； in spite of all Maxime may say。〃
〃I don't play dirty tricks myself；〃 replied Antonia； with dignity。
〃Don't you？ Do you mean you are not going to present that note again？〃
〃Not now；〃 replied the admirer and probably the echo of Mother Marie… des…Anges； but using her own language； 〃I don't blackmail a family in affliction。 I should remember it on my death…bed； and doubt God's mercy。〃
〃Why don't you make yourself an Ursuline； now that we are here？〃
〃Ha； if I only had the courage！ I might be happier if I did。 But； in any case； I am not going to Gondreville； Mother Marie…des…Anges has undertaken to arrange that matter for me。〃
〃Foolish girl！ Have you given her that note？〃
〃I wanted to tear it up； but she prevented me； and told me to give it to her and she would arrange it honestly for my interests。〃
〃Very fine！ You were a creditor； and now you are a beggar。〃
〃No； for I have given the money in alms。 I told madame to keep it for her poor。〃
〃Oh！ if you add the vice of patronizing convents to your other vice of fishing in rivers； you will be a pleasant girl to frequent。〃
〃You won't frequent me much longer； for I go to…night； and leave you to your dirty work。〃
〃Bless me！ so you retire to the Carmelites？〃
〃The Carmelites！〃 replied Antonia； wittily； 〃no； my old fellow； we don't retire to the Carmelites unless we leave a king。〃
Such women； even the most ignorant； all know the story of La Valliere； whom they would assuredly have made their patroness if Sister Louise… of…the…Sacred…Mercy had been canonized。
I don't know how Mother Marie…des…Anges managed it； but early this morning the carriage of the old Comte de Gondreville stopped before the gate of the convent； and when the count again entered it he was driven to the office of his friend Grevin； and later in the day the latter said to several friends that certainly his son…in…law was too much of a fool； he had compromised himself with that Parisian woman； and would undoubtedly lose his election。
I am told that the rectors of the two parishes in Arcis have each received a thousand crowns for their poor from Mother Marie…des…Anges； who informed them that it came from a benefactor who did not wish his name known。 Sallenauve is furious because our partisans are going about saying that the money came from him。 But when you are running before the wind you can't mathematically measure each sail； and you sometimes get more of a breeze than you really want。
Monsieur Maxime de Trailles makes no sign； but there is every reason to suppose that this failure of his candidate； which he must see is now inevitable； will bury both him and his marriage。 But； at any rate； he is a clever fellow； who will manage to get his revenge。
What a curious man； madame； this organist is！ His name is that of one of our greatest physicians；though they are not related to each other；Bricheteau。 No one ever showed more activity； more presence of mind； more devotion； more intelligence； and there are not two men in all Europe who can play the organ as he does。 You say you do not want Nais to be a mere piano /strummer/； then I advise you to let this Bricheteau teach her。 He is a man who would show her what music really is； he will not give himself airs； for I assure you he is as modest as he is gifted。 To Sallenauve he is like a little terrier； as watchful； as faithful； and I may add as ugly；if so good and frank a countenance as his can ever be thought anything but handsome！
XVII
MARIE…GASTON TO MADAME LA COMTESSE DE L'ESTORADE
Arcis…sur…Aube； May 16； 1839。
Madame；Last evening the preparatory meeting took place；a ridiculous ceremony； very annoying to the candidates； which cannot； however； be avoided。
Perhaps it is natural that before pledging themselves to a man who is to represent them for four or five years； voters should want to question him； and discover； if possible； what he really is。 Is he a man of intelligence？ Does he really sustain the ideas put forth about him？ Will he be cordial and affable to the various interests which may claim his support？ Is he firm in character？ Can he defend his ideas if he has any？ In a word； will the constituency be worthily； faithfully； and honestly represented？ That is the serious and respectable aspect of this institution； which； not being a part of the law； must； in order to be so firmly fixed in our customs； have a sound