第10章
"Youhavecome，monsieur，frommyfriendMongenod？"hesaid。
"Yes，"repliedErnest，growingtimidwhenhesawbeforehimafaceassombreasOthello’s。"MynameisErnestdeLaBriere，relatedtothefamilyofthelatecabinetminister，andhisprivatesecretaryduringhistermofoffice。Onhisdismissal，hisExcellencyputmeintheCourtofClaims，towhichIamlegalcounsel，andwhereImaypossiblysucceedaschief——"
"AndhowdoesallthisconcernMademoiselledeLaBastie？"askedthecount。
"Monsieur，Iloveher;andIhavetheunhoped—forhappinessofbeinglovedbyher。Hearme，monsieur，"criedErnest，checkingaviolentmovementonthepartoftheangryfather。"Ihavethestrangestconfessiontomaketoyou，ashamefuloneforamanofhonor;buttheworstpunishmentofmyconduct，naturalenoughinitself，isnotthetellingofittoyou;no，Ifearthedaughterevenmorethanthefather。"
Ernestthenrelatedsimply，andwiththenoblenessthatcomesofsincerity，allthefactsofhislittledrama，notomittingthetwentyormoreletters，whichhehadbroughtwithhim，northeinterviewwhichhehadjusthadwithCanalis。WhenMonsieurMignonhadfinishedreadingtheletters，theunfortunatelover，paleandsuppliant，actuallytrembledunderthefieryglanceoftheProvencal。
"Monsieur，"saidthelatter，"inthiswholematterthereisbutoneerror，butthatiscardinal。Mydaughterwillnothavesixmillions;
attheutmost，shewillhaveamarriageportionoftwohundredthousandfrancs，andverydoubtfulexpectations。"
"Ah，monsieur！"criedErnest，risingandgraspingMonsieurMignon’shand;"youtakealoadfrommybreast。Nothingcannowhindermyhappiness。Ihavefriends，influence;IshallcertainlybechiefoftheCourtofClaims。HadMademoiselleMignonnomorethantenthousandfrancs，ifIhadeventomakeasettlementonher，sheshouldstillbemywife;andtomakeherhappyasyou，monsieur，havemadeyourwifehappy，tobetoyouarealson（forIhavenofather），arethedeepestdesiresofmyheart。"
CharlesMignonsteppedbackthreepacesandfixeduponLaBrierealookwhichenteredtheeyesoftheyoungmanasadaggerentersitssheath;hestoodsilentamoment，recognizingtheabsolutecandor，thepuretruthfulnessofthatopennatureinthelightoftheyoungman’sinspiredeyes。"Isfateatlastwearyofpursuingme？"heaskedhimself。"AmItofindinthisyoungmanthepearlofsons—in—law？"Hewalkedupanddowntheroominstrongagitation。
"Monsieur，"hesaidatlast，"youareboundtosubmitwhollytothejudgmentwhichyouhavecomeheretoseek，otherwiseyouarenowplayingafarce。"
"Oh，monsieur！"
"Listentome，"saidthefather，nailingLaBrierewherehestoodwithaglance。"Ishallbeneitherharsh，norhard，norunjust。Youshallhavetheadvantagesandthedisadvantagesofthefalsepositioninwhichyouhaveplacedyourself。Mydaughterbelievesthatshelovesoneofthegreatpoetsoftheday，whosefameisreallythatwhichhasattractedher。Well，I，herfather，intendtogivehertheopportunitytochoosebetweenthecelebritywhichhasbeenabeacontoher，andthepoorrealitywhichtheironyoffatehasflungatherfeet。OughtshenottochoosebetweenCanalisandyourself？IrelyuponyourhonornottorepeatwhatIhavetoldyouastothestateofmyaffairs。Youmayeachcome，ImeanyouandyourfriendtheBarondeCanalis，toHavreforthelasttwoweeksofOctober。Myhousewillbeopentobothofyou，andmydaughtermusthaveanopportunitytostudyyou。Youmustyourselfbringyourrival，andnotdisabusehimastothefoolishtaleshewillhearaboutthewealthoftheComtedeLaBastie。IgotoHavreto—morrow，andIshallexpectyouthreedayslater。Adieu，monsieur。"
PoorLaBrierewentbacktoCanaliswithadraggingstep。Thepoet，meantime，lefttohimself，hadgivenwaytoacurrentofthoughtoutofwhichhadcomethatsecondaryimpulsewhichMonsieurdeTalleyrandvaluedsomuch。Thefirstimpulseisthevoiceofnature，thesecondthatofsociety。
"Agirlworthsixmillions，"hethoughttohimself，"andmyeyeswerenotabletoseethatgoldshininginthedarkness！WithsuchafortuneIcouldbepeerofFrance，count，marquis，ambassador。I’verepliedtomiddle—classwomenandsillywomen，andcraftycreatureswhowantedautographs;I’vetiredmyselftodeathwithmasked—ballintrigues，——attheverymomentwhenGodwassendingmeasoulofprice，anangelwithgoldenwings！Bah！I’llmakeapoemonit，andperhapsthechancewillcomeagain。Heavens！theluckofthatlittleLaBriere，——struttingaboutinmylustre——plagiarism！I’mthecastandhe’stobethestatue，ishe？ItistheoldfableofBertrandandRaton。Sixmillions，abeauty，aMignondeLaBastie，anaristocraticdivinitylovingpoetryandthepoet！AndI，whoshowedmymuscleasmanoftheworld，whodidthoseAlcideexercisestosilencebymoralforcethechampionofphysicalforce，thatoldsoldierwithaheart，thatfriendofthisveryyounggirl，whomhe’llnowgoandtellthatIhaveaheartofiron！——I，toplayNapoleonwhenIoughttohavebeenseraphic！Goodheavens！True，Ishallhavemyfriend。Friendshipisabeautifulthing。Ihavekepthim，butatwhataprice！Sixmillions，that’sthecostofit;wecan’thavemanyfriendsifwepayallthatforthem。"
LaBriereenteredtheroomasCanalisreachedthispointinhismeditations。Hewasgloompersonified。
"Well，what’sthematter？"saidCanalis。
"ThefatherexactsthathisdaughtershallchoosebetweenthetwoCanalis——"
"Poorboy！"criedthepoet，laughing，"he’sacleverfellow，thatfather。"
"IhavepledgedmyhonorthatIwilltakeyoutoHavre，"saidLaBriere，piteously。
"Mydearfellow，"saidCanalis，"ifitisaquestionofyourhonoryoumaycountonme。I’llaskforleaveofabsenceforamonth。"
"Modesteissobeautiful！"exclaimedLaBriere，inadespairingtone。
"Youwillcrushmeoutofsight。Iwonderedallalongthatfateshouldbesokindtome;Iknewitwasallamistake。"
"Bah！wewillseeaboutthat，"saidCanaliswithinhumangaiety。
Thatevening，afterdinner，CharlesMignonandDumay，wereflying，byvirtueofthreefrancstoeachpostilion，fromParistoHavre。Thefatherhadeasedthewatch—dog’smindastoModesteandherloveaffairs;theguardwasrelieved，andButscha’sinnocenceestablished。
"Itisallforthebest，myoldDumay，"saidthecount，whohadbeenmakingcertaininquiriesofMongenodrespectingCanalisandLaBriere。
"Wearegoingtohavetwoactorsforonepart！"hecriedgaily。
Nevertheless，herequestedhisoldcomradetobeabsolutelysilentaboutthecomedywhichwasnowtobeplayedattheChalet，——acomedyitmightbe，butalsoagentlepunishment，or，ifyoupreferit，alessongivenbythefathertothedaughter。
ThetwofriendskeptupalongconversationallthewayfromParistoHavre，whichputthecolonelinpossessionofthefactsrelatingtohisfamilyduringthepastfouryears，andinformingDumaythatDesplein，thegreatsurgeon，wascomingtoHavreattheendofthepresentmonthtoexaminethecataractonMadameMignon’seyes，anddecideifitwerepossibletorestorehersight。
Afewmomentsbeforethebreakfast—hourattheChalet，theclackingofapostilion’swhipapprisedthefamilythatthetwosoldierswerearriving;onlyafather’sjoyatreturningafterlongabsencecouldbeheraldedwithsuchclatter，anditbroughtallthewomentothegardengate。Thereismanyafatherandmanyachild——perhapsmorefathersthanchildren——whowillunderstandthedelightsofsuchanarrival，andthathappyfactshowsthatliteraturehasnoneedtodepictit。
Perhapsallgentleandtenderemotionsarebeyondtherangeofliterature。
Notawordthatcouldtroublethepeaceofthefamilywasutteredonthisjoyfulday。Trucewastacitlyestablishedbetweenfather，mother，andchildastotheso—calledmysteriouslovewhichhadpaledModeste’scheeks，——forthiswasthefirstdayshehadleftherbedsinceDumay’sdepartureforParis。Thecolonel，withthecharmingdelicacyofatruesoldier，neverlefthiswife’ssidenorreleasedherhand;buthewatchedModestewithdelight，andwasneverwearyofnotingherrefined，elegant，andpoeticbeauty。Isitnotbysuchseemingtriflesthatwerecognizeamanoffeeling？Modeste，whofearedtointerruptthesubduedjoyofthehusbandandwifekeptatalittledistance，comingfromtimetotimetokissherfather’sforehead，andwhenshekisseditovermuchsheseemedtomeanthatshewaskissingitfortwo，——forBettinaandherself。
"Oh，mydarling，Iunderstandyou，"saidthecolonel，pressingherhandassheassailedhimwithkisses。
"Hush！"whisperedtheyounggirl，glancingathermother。
Dumay’sratherslyandpregnantsilencemadeModestesomewhatuneasyastotheupshotofhisjourneytoParis。Shelookedathimfurtivelyeverynowandthen，withoutbeingabletogetbeneathhisepidermis。
Thecolonel，likeaprudentfather，wantedtostudythecharacterofhisonlydaughter，andaboveallconsulthiswife，beforeenteringonaconferenceuponwhichthehappinessofthewholefamilydepended。
"To—morrow，mypreciouschild，"hesaidastheypartedforthenight，"getupearly，andwewillgoandtakeawalkontheseashore。Wehavetotalkaboutyourpoems，MademoiselledeLaBastie。"
Hislastwords，accompaniedbyasmile，whichreappearedlikeanechoonDumay’slips，wereallthatgaveModesteanyclewtowhatwascoming;butitwasenoughtocalmheruneasinessandkeepherawakefarintothenightwithherheadfullofsuppositions;this，however，didnotpreventherfrombeingdressedandreadyinthemorninglongbeforethecolonel。
"Youknowall，mykindpapa？"shesaidassoonastheywereontheroadtothebeach。
"Iknowall，andagooddealmorethanyoudo，"hereplied。
Afterthatremarkfatheranddaughterwentsomelittlewayinsilence。
"Explaintome，mychild，howithappensthatagirlwhomhermotheridolizescouldhavetakensuchanimportantstepastowritetoastrangerwithoutconsultingher。"
"Oh，papa！becausemammawouldneverhaveallowedit。"
"Anddoyouthink，mydaughter，thatthatwasproper？Thoughyouhavebeeneducatingyourmindinthisfatalway，howisitthatyourgoodsenseandyourintellectdidnot，indefaultofmodesty，stepinandshowyouthatbyactingasyoudidyouwerethrowingyourselfataman’shead。Tothinkthatmydaughter，myonlyremainingchild，shouldlackprideanddelicacy！Oh，Modeste，youmadeyourfatherpasstwohoursinhellwhenheheardofit;for，afterall，yourconducthasbeenthesameasBettina’swithouttheexcuseofaheart’sseduction;
youwereacoquetteincoldblood，andthatsortofcoquetryishead—
love，theworstviceofFrenchwomen。"
"I，withoutpride！"saidModeste，weeping;"butHEhasnotyetseenme。"
"HEknowsyourname。"
"Ididnottellittohimtillmyeyeshadvindicatedthecorrespondence，lastingthreemonths，duringwhichoursoulshadspokentoeachother。"
"Oh，mydearmisguidedangel，youhavemixedupaspeciesofreasonwithafollythathascompromisedyourownhappinessandthatofyourfamily。"
"But，afterall，papa，happinessistheabsolutionofmytemerity，"
shesaid，pouting。
"Oh！yourconductistemerity，isit？"
"Atemeritythatmymotherpractisedbeforeme，"sheretortedquickly。
"Rebelliouschild！yourmotherafterseeingmeataballtoldherfather，whoadoredher，thatshethoughtshecouldbehappywithme。
Behonest，Modeste;isthereanylikenessbetweenalovehastilyconceived，Iadmit，butundertheeyesofafather，andyourmadactionofwritingtoastranger？"
"Astranger，papa？sayratheroneofourgreatestpoets，whosecharacterandwhoselifeareexposedtothestrongestlightofday，todetraction，tocalumny，——amanrobedinfame，andtowhom，mydearfather，Iwasamereliteraryanddramaticpersonage，oneofShakespeare’swomen，untilthemomentwhenIwishedtoknowifthemanhimselfwereasbeautifulashissoul。"
"GoodGod！mypoorchild，youareturningmarriageintopoetry。Butif，fromtimeimmemorial，girlshavebeencloisteredinthebosomoftheirfamilies，ifGod，ifsociallawsputthemunderthesternyokeofparentalsanction，itis，markmywords，tosparethemthemisfortunesthatthisverypoetrywhichcharmsanddazzlesyou，andwhichyouarethereforeunabletojudgeof，wouldentailuponthem。
Poetryisindeedoneofthepleasuresoflife，butitisnotlifeitself。"
"Papa，thatisasuitstillpendingbeforetheCourtofFacts;thestruggleisforevergoingonbetweenourheartsandtheclaimsoffamily。"
"Alasforthechildthatfindsherhappinessinresistingthem，"saidthecolonel，gravely。"In1813Isawoneofmycomrades，theMarquisd’Aiglemont，marryhiscousinagainstthewishesofherfather，andthepairhavesincepaiddearfortheobstinacywhichtheyounggirltookforlove。Thefamilymustbesovereigninmarriage。"
"Mypoethastoldmeallthat，"sheanswered。"HeplayedOrgonforsometime;andhewasbraveenoughtodisparagethepersonallivesofpoets。"
"Ihavereadyourletters，"saidCharlesMignon，withtheflickerofamalicioussmileonhislipsthatmadeModesteveryuneasy，"andI
oughttoremarkthatyourlastepistlewasscarcelypermissibleinanywoman，evenaJulied’Etanges。GoodGod！whatharmnovelsdo！"
"Weshouldlivethem，mydearfather，whetherpeoplewrotethemornot;Ithinkitisbettertoreadthem。TherearenotsomanyadventuresinthesedaysastherewereunderLouisXIV。andLouisXV。，andsotheypublishfewernovels。Besides，ifyouhavereadthoseletters，youmustknowthatIhavechosenthemostangelicsoul，themoststernlyuprightmanforyourson—in—law，andyoumusthaveseenthatweloveoneanotheratleastasmuchasyouandmammaloveeachother。Well，Iadmitthatitwasnotallexactlyconventional;Idid，ifyouWILLhavemesayso，wrong——"
"Ihavereadyourletters，"saidherfather，interruptingher，"andI
knowexactlyhowfaryourloverjustifiedyouinyourowneyesforaproceedingwhichmightbepermissibleinsomewomanwhounderstoodlife，andwhowasledawaybystrongpassion，butwhichinayounggirloftwentywasamonstrouspieceofwrong—doing。"
"Yes，wrong—doingforcommonplacepeople，forthenarrow—mindedGobenheims，whomeasurelifewithasquarerule。Pleaseletuskeeptotheartisticandpoeticlife，papa。Weyounggirlshaveonlytwowaystoact;wemustletamanknowwelovehimbymincingandsimpering，orwemustgotohimfrankly。Isn’tthelastwaygrandandnoble？WeFrenchgirlsaredeliveredoverbyourfamilieslikesomuchmerchandise，atsixtydays’sight，sometimesthirty，likeMademoiselleVilquin;butinEngland，andSwitzerland，andGermany，theyfollowverymuchtheplanIhaveadopted。Nowwhathaveyougottosaytothat？AmInothalfGerman？"
"Child！"criedthecolonel，lookingather;"thesupremacyofFrancecomesfromhersoundcommon—sense，fromthelogictowhichhernoblelanguageconstrainshermind。Franceisthereasonofthewholeworld。
EnglandandGermanyareromanticintheirmarriagecustoms，——thougheventherenoblefamiliesfollowourcustoms。Youcertainlydonotmeantodenythatyourparents，whoknowlife，whoareresponsibleforyoursoulandforyourhappiness，havenorighttoguardyoufromthestumbling—blocksthatareinyourway？Goodheavens！"hecontinued，speakinghalftohimself，"isittheirfault，orisitours？Oughtwetoholdourchildrenunderanironyoke？Mustwebepunishedforthetendernessthatleadsustomakethemhappy，andteachesourheartshowtodoso？"
Modestewatchedherfatheroutofthecornerofhereyeasshelistenedtothisspeciesofinvocation，utteredinabrokenvoice。
"Wasitwrong，"shesaid，"inagirlwhoseheartwasfree，tochooseforherhusbandnotonlyacharmingcompanion，butamanofnoblegenius，borntoanhonorableposition，agentleman;theequalofmyself，agentlewoman？"
"Youlovehim？"askedherfather。
"Father！"shesaid，layingherheaduponhisbreast，"wouldyouseemedie？"
"Enough！"saidtheoldsoldier。"Iseeyourloveisinextinguishable。"
"Yes，inextinguishable。"
"Cannothingchangeit？"
"Nothing。"
"Nocircumstances，notreachery，nobetrayal？Youmeanthatyouwilllovehiminspiteofeverything，becauseofhispersonalattractions？
EventhoughheprovedaD’Estourny，wouldyoulovehimstill？"
"Oh，myfather！youdonotknowyourdaughter。CouldIloveacoward，amanwithouthonor，withoutfaith？"
"Butsupposehehaddeceivedyou？"
"He？thathonest，candidsoul，halfmelancholy？Youarejoking，father，orelseyouhavenevermethim。"
"Butyouseenowthatyourloveisnotinextinguishable，asyouchosetocallit。Ihavealreadymadeyouadmitthatcircumstancescouldalteryourpoem;don’tyounowseethatfathersaregoodforsomething？"
"Youwanttogivemealecture，papa;itispositivelyl’AmidesEnfantsoveragain。"
"Poordeceivedgirl，"saidherfather，sternly;"itisnolectureofmine，Icountfornothinginit;indeed，Iamonlytryingtosoftentheblow。"
"Father，don’tplaytrickswithmylife，"exclaimedModeste，turningpale。
"Then，mydaughter，summonallyourcourage。Itisyouwhohavebeenplayingtrickswithyourlife，andlifeisnowtrickingyou。"
Modestelookedatherfatherinstupidamazement。
"Supposethatyoungmanwhomyoulove，whomyousawfourdaysagoatchurchinHavre，wasadeceiver？"
"Never！"shecried;"thatnoblehead，thatpalefacefullofpoetry——"
"——wasalie，"saidthecolonelinterruptingher。"HewasnomoreMonsieurdeCanalisthanIamthatsailoroverthereputtingouttosea。"
"Doyouknowwhatyouarekillinginme？"shesaidinalowvoice。
"Comfortyourself，mychild;thoughaccidenthasputthepunishmentofyourfaultintothefaultitself，theharmdoneisnotirreparable。
Theyoungmanwhomyouhaveseen，andwithwhomyouexchangedheartsbycorrespondence，isaloyalandhonorablefellow;hecametomeandconfidedeverything。Helovesyou，andIhavenoobjectiontohimasason—in—law。"
"IfheisnotCanalis，whoishethen？"saidModesteinachangedvoice。
"Thesecretary;hisnameisErnestdeLaBriere。Heisnotanobleman;
butheisoneofthoseplainmenwithfixedprinciplesandsoundmoralitywhosatisfyparents。However，thatisnotthepoint;youhaveseenhimandnothingcanchangeyourheart;youhavechosenhim，comprehendhissoul，itisasbeautifulashehimself。"
ThecountwasinterruptedbyaheavysighfromModeste。Thepoorgirlsatwithhereyesfixedonthesea，paleandrigidasdeath，asifapistolshothadstruckherinthosefatalwords，APLAINMAN，WITH
FIXEDPRINCIPLESANDSOUNDMORALITY。
"Deceived！"shesaidatlast。
"Likeyourpoorsister，butlessfatally。"
"Letusgohome，father，"shesaid，risingfromthehillockonwhichtheyweresitting。"Papa，hearme，IswearbeforeGodtoobeyyourwishes，whatevertheymaybe，intheAFFAIRofmymarriage。"
"Thenyoudon’tlovehimanylonger？"askedherfather。
"Ilovedanhonestman，withnofalsehoodonhisface，uprightasyourself，incapableofdisguisinghimselflikeanactor，withthepaintofanotherman’sgloryonhischeeks。"
"Yousaidnothingcouldchangeyou";remarkedthecolonel，ironically。
"Ah，donottriflewithme！"sheexclaimed，claspingherhandsandlookingatherfatherindistressfulanxiety;"don’tyouseethatyouarewringingmyheartanddestroyingmybeliefswithyourjokes。"
"Godforbid！Ihavetoldyoutheexacttruth。"
"Youareverykind，father，"shesaidafterapause，andwithasortofsolemnity。
"Hehaskeptyourletters，"resumedthecolonel;"nowsupposetherashcaressesofyoursoulhadfallenintothehandsofoneofthosepoetswho，asDumaysays，lighttheircigarswiththem？"
"Oh！——youaregoingtoofar。"
"Canalistoldhimso。"
"HasDumayseenCanalis？"
"Yes，"answeredherfather。
Thetwowalkedalonginsilence。
"SothatiswhythatGENTLEMAN，"resumedModeste，"toldmesomuchharmofpoetsandpoetry;nowonderthelittlesecretarysaid——Why，"
sheadded，interruptingherself，"hisvirtues，hisnoblequalities，hisfinesentimentsarenothingbutanepistolarytheft！Themanwhostealsgloryandanamemayverylikely——"
"——breaklocks，stealpurses，andcutpeople’sthroatsonthehighway，"criedthecolonel。"Ah，youyounggirls，that’sjustlikeyou，——withyourperemptoryopinionsandyourignoranceoflife。Amanwhooncedeceivesawomanwasbornunderthescaffoldonwhichheoughttodie。"
ThisridiculestoppedModeste’seffervescenceforamomentandleast，andagaintherewassilence。
"Mychild，"saidthecolonel，presently，"meninsociety，asinnatureeverywhere，aremadetowintheheartsofwomen，andwomenmustdefendthemselves。Youhavechosentoinverttheparts。Wasthatwise？
Everythingisfalseinafalseposition。Thefirstwrong—doingwasyours。No，amanisnotamonsterbecauseheseekstopleaseawoman;
itisourrighttowinherbyaggressionwithallitsconsequences，shortofcrimeandcowardice。Amanmayhavemanyvirtuesevenifhedoesdeceiveawoman;ifhedeceivesher，itisbecausehefindsherwantinginsomeofthetreasuresthathesoughtinher。Nonebutaqueen，anactress，orawomanplacedsofaraboveamanthatsheseemstohimaqueen，cangotohimofherselfwithoutincurringblame——andforayounggirltodoit！Why，sheisfalsetoallthatGodhasgivenherthatissacredandlovelyandnoble，——nomatterwithwhatgraceorwhatpoetryorwhatprecautionsshesurroundsherfault。"
"Toseekthemasterandfindtheservant！"shesaidbitterly，"oh！I
canneverrecoverfromit！"
"Nonsense！MonsieurErnestdeLaBriereis，tomythinking，fullytheequaloftheBarondeCanalis。Hewasprivatesecretaryofacabinetminister，andheisnowcounselfortheCourtofClaims;hehasaheart，andheadoresyou，but——heDOESNOTWRITEVERSES。No，Iadmit，heisnotapoet;butforallthathemayhaveaheartfullofpoetry。
Atanyrate，mydeargirl，"addedherfather，asModestemadeagestureofdisgust，"youaretoseebothofthem，theshamandthetrueCanalis——"
"Oh，papa！——"
"Didyounotswearjustnowtoobeymeineverything，evenintheAFFAIRofyourmarriage？Well，Iallowyoutochoosewhichofthetwoyoulikebestforahusband。Youhavebegunbyapoem，youshallfinishwithabucolic，andtryifyoucandiscovertherealcharacterofthesegentlemenhere，inthecountry，onafewhuntingorfishingexcursions。"
Modestebowedherheadandwalkedhomewithherfather，listeningtowhathesaidbutreplyingonlyinmonosyllables。
CHAPTERXVI
DISENCHANTED
Thepoorgirlhadfallenhumiliatedfromthealpshehadscaledinsearchofhereagle’snest，intothemudoftheswampbelow，where（tousethepoeticlanguageofanauthorofourday）"afterfeelingthesolesofherfeettootendertotreadthebrokenglassofreality，Imagination——whichinthatdelicatebosomunitedthewholeofwomanhood，fromtheviolet—hiddenreveriesofachasteyounggirltothepassionatedesiresofthesex——hadledherintoenchantedgardenswhere，oh，bittersight！shenowsaw，springingfromtheground，notthesublimeflowerofherfancy，butthehairy，twistedlimbsoftheblackmandragora。"Modestesuddenlyfoundherselfbroughtdownfromthemysticheightsofherlovetoastraight，flatroadborderedwithditches，——inshortthework—daypathofcommonlife。Whatardent，aspiringsoulwouldnothavebeenbruisedandbrokenbysuchafall？
Whosefeetweretheseatwhichshehadshedherthoughts？TheModestewhore—enteredtheChaletwasnomoretheModestewhohadleftittwohoursearlierthananactressinthestreetislikeanactressontheboards。Shefellintoastateofnumbdepressionthatwaspitifultosee。Thesunwasdarkened，natureveileditself，eventheflowersnolongerspoketoher。Likeallyounggirlswithatendencytoextremes，shedranktoodeeplyofthecupofdisillusion。Shefoughtagainstreality，andwouldnotbendhernecktotheyokeoffamilyandconventions;itwas，shefelt，tooheavy，toohard，toocrushing。Shewouldnotlistentotheconsolationsofherfatherandmother，andtastedasortofsavagepleasureinlettinghersoulsuffertotheutmost。
"PoorButschawasright，"shesaidoneevening。
Thewordsindicatethedistanceshetravelledinashortspaceoftimeandingloomysadnessacrossthebarrenplainofreality。Sadness，whencausedbytheovergrowthofhope，isadisease，——sometimesafatalone。ItwouldbenomeanobjectforphysiologytosearchoutinwhatwaysandbywhatmeansThoughtproducesthesameinternaldisorganizationaspoison;andhowitisthatdespairaffectstheappetite，destroysthepylorus，andchangesallthephysicalconditionsofthestrongestlife。SuchwasthecasewithModeste。Inthreeshortdaysshebecametheimageofmorbidmelancholy;shedidnotsing，shecouldnotbemadetosmile。CharlesMignon，becominguneasyatthenon—arrivalofthetwofriends，thoughtofgoingtofetchthem，when，ontheeveningofthefifthday，hereceivednewsoftheirmovementsthroughLatournelle。