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had arrested the Count on the threshold of debauchery； and how
impossible it would be ever to forget a creature who really was a
flower to the touch； a flower to the eye； a flower of fragrance； a
heavenly flower to the soul。 。 。 。 Honorine inspired devotion；
chivalrous devotion； regardless of reward。 A man on seeing her must
say to himself：
〃 'Think； and I will divine your thought； speak； and I will obey。 If
my life； sacrificed in torments； can procure you one day's happiness；
take my life； I will smile like a martyr at the stake； for I shall
offer that day to God； as a token to which a father responds on
recognizing a gift to his child。' Many women study their expression；
and succeed in producing effects similar to those which would have
struck you at first sight of the Countess； only； in her； it was all
the outcome of a delightful nature； that inimitable nature went at
once to the heart。 If I tell you all this； it is because her soul； her
thoughts； the exquisiteness of her heart； are all we are concerned
with； and you would have blamed me if I had not sketched them for you。
〃I was very near forgetting my part as a half…crazy lout； clumsy； and
by no means chivalrous。
〃 'I am told； madame； that you are fond of flowers？'
〃 'I am an artificial flower…maker；' said she。 'After growing flowers；
I imitate them； like a mother who is artist enough to have the
pleasure of painting her children。 。 。 。 That is enough to tell you
that I am poor and unable to pay for the concession I am anxious to
obtain from you？'
〃 'But how；' said I； as grave as a judge； 'can a lady of such rank as
yours would seem to be； ply so humble a calling？ Have you； like me；
good reasons for employing your fingers so as to keep your brains from
working？'
〃 'Let us stick to the question of the wall；' said she； with a smile。
〃 'Why； we have begun at the foundations；' said I。 'Must not I know
which of us ought to yield to the other in behalf of our suffering；
or； if you choose； of our mania？Oh！ what a charming clump of
narcissus！ They are as fresh as this spring morning！'
〃I assure you； she had made for herself a perfect museum of flowers
and shrubs； which none might see but the sun； and of which the
arrangement had been prompted by the genius of an artist； the most
heartless of landlords must have treated it with respect。 The masses
of plants； arranged according to their height； or in single clumps；
were really a joy to the soul。 This retired and solitary garden
breathed comforting scents； and suggested none but sweet thoughts and
graceful； nay； voluptuous pictures。 On it was set that inscrutable
sign…manual； which our true character stamps on everything； as soon as
nothing compels us to obey the various hypocrisies； necessary as they
are； which Society insists on。 I looked alternately at the mass of
narcissus and at the Countess； affecting to be far more in love with
the flowers than with her； to carry out my part。
〃 'So you are very fond of flowers？' said she。
〃 'They are；' I replied； 'the only beings that never disappoint our
cares and affection。' And I went on to deliver such a diatribe while
comparing botany and the world； that we ended miles away from the
dividing wall； and the Countess must have supposed me to be a wretched
and wounded sufferer worthy of her pity。 However； at the end of half
an hour my neighbor naturally brought me back to the point； for women；
when they are not in love； have all the cold blood of an experienced
attorney。
〃 'If you insist on my leaving the paling；' said I； 'you will learn
all the secrets of gardening that I want to hide； I am seeking to grow
a blue dahlia； a blue rose； I am crazy for blue flowers。 Is not blue
the favorite color of superior souls？ We are neither of us really at
home； we might as well make a little door of open railings to unite
our gardens。 。 。 。 You； too； are fond of flowers； you will see mine； I
shall see yours。 If you receive no visitors at all； I； for my part；
have none but my uncle； the Cure of the White Friars。'
〃 'No；' said she； 'I will give you the right to come into my garden；
my premises at any hour。 Come and welcome； you will always be admitted
as a neighbor with whom I hope to keep on good terms。 But I like my
solitude too well to burden it with any loss of independence。'
〃 'As you please；' said I； and with one leap I was over the paling。
〃 'Now； of what use would a door be？' said I； from my own domain；
turning round to the Countess； and mocking her with a madman's gesture
and grimace。
〃For a fortnight I seemed to take no heed of my neighbor。 Towards the
end of May； one lovely evening； we happened both to be out on opposite
sides of the paling； both walking slowly。 Having reached the end； we
could not help exchanging a few civil words； she found me in such deep
dejection； lost in such painful meditations； that she spoke to me of
hopefulness； in brief sentences that sounded like the songs with which
nurses lull their babies。 I then leaped the fence； and found myself
for the second time at her side。 The Countess led me into the house；
wishing to subdue my sadness。 So at last I had penetrated the
sanctuary where everything was in harmony with the woman I have tried
to describe to you。
〃Exquisite simplicity reigned there。 The interior of the little house
was just such a dainty box as the art of the eighteenth century
devised for the pretty profligacy of a fine gentleman。 The dining…
room； on the ground floor； was painted in fresco； with garlands of
flowers； admirably and marvelously executed。 The staircase was
charmingly decorated in monochrome。 The little drawing…room； opposite
the dining…room； was very much faded； but the Countess had hung it
with panels of tapestry of fanciful designs； taken off old screens。 A
bath…room came next。 Upstairs there was but one bedroom； with a
dressing…room； and a library which she used as her workroom。 The
kitchen was beneath in the basement on which the house was raised； for
there was a flight of several steps outside。 The balustrade of a
balcony in garlands a la Pompadour concealed the roof； only the lead
cornices were visible。 In this retreat one was a hundred leagues from
Paris。
〃But for the bitter smile which occasionally played on the beautiful
red lips of this pale woman； it would have been possible to believe
that this violet buried in her thicket of flowers was happy。 In a few
days we had reached a certain degree of intimacy； the result of our
close neighborhood and of the Countess' conviction that I was
indifferent to women。 A look would have spoilt all； and I never
allowed a thought of her to be seen in my eyes。 Honorine chose to
regard me as an old friend。 Her manner to me was the outcome of a kind
of pity。 Her looks； her voice； her words； all showed that she was a
hundred miles away from the coquettish airs which the strictest virtue
might have allowed under such circumstances。 She soon gave me the
right to go into the pretty workshop where she made her flowers； a
retreat full of books and curiosities； as smart as a boudoir where
elegance emphasized the vulgarity of the tools of her trade。 The
Countess had in the course of time poetized； as I may say； a thing
which is at the antipodes to poetrya manufacture。
〃Perhaps of all the work a woman can do； the making of artificial
flowers is that of which the details allow her to display most grace。
For coloring prints she must sit bent over a table and devote herself；
with some attention； to this half painting。 Embroidering tapestry； as
diligently as a woman must who is to earn her living by it； entails
consumption or curvature of the spine。 Engraving music is one of the
most laborious； by the care； the minute exactitude； and the
intelligence it demands。 Sewing and white embroidery do not earn
thirty sous a day。 But the making of flowers and light articles of
wear necessitates a variety of movements； gestures； ideas even； which
do not take a pretty woman out of her sphere； she is still herself；
she may chat； laugh； sing； or think。
〃There was certainly a feeling for art in the way in which the
Countess arranged on a long deal table the myriad…colored petals which
were used in composing the flowers she was to produce。 The saucers of
color were of white china； and always clean； arranged in such order
that the eye could at once see the required shade in the scale of
tints。 Thus the aristocratic artist saved time。 A pretty little
cabinet with a hundred tiny drawers； of ebony inlaid with ivory；
contained the little steel moulds in which she shaped the leaves and
some forms of petals。 A fine Japanese bowl held the paste； which was
never allowed to turn sour； and it had a fitted cover with a hinge so
easy that she could lift it with a finger…tip。 The wire； of iron and
brass； lurked in a little drawer of the table before her。
〃Under her eyes； in a Venetian glass； shaped like a flower…cup on its
stem； was the living model she strove to imitate。 She had a passion
for achievement； she attempted the most difficult things； close
racemes； the tiniest corollas； heaths； nectaries of the most
variegated hues。 Her hands； as swift as her thoughts； went from the
tab