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in a piercing voice。
But； at a word from Perez； the apprentice closed and bolted the doors；
so that the soldiers were delayed by battering them in。 Before they
could enter； the Marana had time to strike her dagger into the guilty
man； but anger hindered her aim； the blade slipped upon the Italian's
epaulet； though she struck her blow with such force that he fell at
the very feet of Juana； who took no notice of him。 The Marana sprang
upon him； and this time； resolved not to miss her prey； she caught him
by the throat。
〃I am free and I will marry her！ I swear it； by God； by my mother； by
all there is most sacred in the world； I am a bachelor； I will marry
her； on my honor！〃
And he bit the arm of the courtesan。
〃Mother；〃 said Juana； 〃kill him。 He is so base that I will not have
him for my husband； were he ten times as beautiful。〃
〃Ah！ I recognize my daughter！〃 cried the mother。
〃What is all this？〃 demanded the quartermaster； entering the room。
〃They are murdering me；〃 cried Montefiore； 〃on account of this girl；
she says I am her lover。 She inveigled me into a trap； and they are
forcing me to marry her〃
〃And you reject her？〃 cried Diard； struck with the splendid beauty
which contempt； hatred； and indignation had given to the girl； already
so beautiful。 〃Then you are hard to please。 If she wants a husband I
am ready to marry her。 Put up your weapons； there is no trouble here。〃
The Marana pulled the Italian to the side of her daughter's bed and
said to him； in a low voice；
〃If I spare you； give thanks for the rest of your life； but； remember
this； if your tongue ever injures my daughter you will see me again。
Go！How much 'dot' do you give her？〃 she continued； going up to
Perez。
〃She has two hundred thousand gold piastres；〃 replied the Spaniard。
〃And that is not all； monsieur；〃 said the Marana； turning to Diard。
〃Who are you？Go！〃 she repeated to Montefiore。
The marquis； hearing this statement of gold piastres； came forward
once more； saying；
〃I am really free〃
A glance from Juana silenced him。
〃You are really free to go；〃 she said。
And he went immediately。
〃Alas！ monsieur；〃 said the girl； turning to Diard； 〃I thank you with
admiration。 But my husband is in heaven。 To…morrow I shall enter a
convent〃
〃Juana； my Juana； hush！〃 cried the mother； clasping her in her arms。
Then she whispered in the girl's ear。 〃You MUST have another husband。〃
Juana turned pale。 She freed herself from her mother and sat down once
more in her arm…chair。
〃Who are you； monsieur？〃 repeated the Marana； addressing Diard。
〃Madame； I am at present only the quartermaster of the 6th of the
line。 But for such a wife I have the heart to make myself a marshal of
France。 My name is Pierre…Francois Diard。 My father was provost of
merchants。 I am not〃
〃But； at least； you are an honest man； are you not？〃 cried the Marana；
interrupting him。 〃If you please the Signorina Juana di Mancini； you
can marry her and be happy together。Juana；〃 she continued in a grave
tone； 〃in becoming the wife of a brave and worthy man remember that
you will also be a mother。 I have sworn that you shall kiss your
children without a blush upon your face〃 （her voice faltered
slightly）。 〃I have sworn that you shall live a virtuous life； expect；
therefore； many troubles。 But； whatever happens； continue pure； and be
faithful to your husband。 Sacrifice all things to him； for he will be
the father of your childrenthe father of your children！ If you take
a lover； I； your mother； will stand between you and him。 Do you see
that dagger？ It is in your 'dot；'〃 she continued； throwing the weapon
on Juana's bed。 〃I leave it there as the guarantee of your honor so
long as my eyes are open and my arm free。 Farewell；〃 she said；
restraining her tears。 〃God grant that we may never meet again。〃
At that idea； her tears began to flow。
〃Poor child！〃 she added； 〃you have been happier than you knew in this
dull home。Do not allow her to regret it；〃 she said； turning to
Diard。
The foregoing rapid narrative is not the principal subject of this
Study； for the understanding of which it was necessary to explain how
it happened that the quartermaster Diard married Juana di Mancini；
that Montefiore and Diard were intimately known to each other； and to
show plainly what blood and what passions were in Madame Diard。
CHAPTER III
THE HISTORY OF MADAME DIARD
By the time that the quartermaster had fulfilled all the long and
dilatory formalities without which no French soldier can be married；
he was passionately in love with Juana di Mancini； and Juana had had
time to think of her coming destiny。
An awful destiny！ Juana； who felt neither esteem nor love for Diard；
was bound to him forever； by a rash but necessary promise。 The man was
neither handsome nor well…made。 His manners； devoid of all
distinction； were a mixture of the worst army tone； the habits of his
province； and his own insufficient education。 How could she love
Diard； she； a young girl all grace and elegance； born with an
invincible instinct for luxury and good taste； her very nature tending
toward the sphere of the higher social classes？ As for esteeming him；
she rejected the very thought precisely because he had married her。
This repulsion was natural。 Woman is a saintly and noble creature； but
almost always misunderstood； and nearly always misjudged because she
is misunderstood。 If Juana had loved Diard she would have esteemed
him。 Love creates in a wife a new woman； the woman of the day before
no longer exists on the morrow。 Putting on the nuptial robe of a
passion in which life itself is concerned； the woman wraps herself in
purity and whiteness。 Reborn into virtue and chastity； there is no
past for her； she is all future； and should forget the things behind
her to relearn life。 In this sense the famous words which a modern
poet has put into the lips of Marion Delorme is infused with truth；
〃And Love remade me virgin。〃
That line seems like a reminiscence of a tragedy of Corneille； so
truly does it recall the energetic diction of the father of our modern
theatre。 Yet the poet was forced to sacrifice it to the essentially
vaudevillist spirit of the pit。
So Juana loveless was doomed to be Juana humiliated； degraded；
hopeless。 She could not honor the man who took her thus。 She felt； in
all the conscientious purity of her youth； that distinction； subtle in
appearance but sacredly true； legal with the heart's legality； which
women apply instinctively to all their feelings； even the least
reflective。 Juana became profoundly sad as she saw the nature and the
extent of the life before her。 Often she turned her eyes； brimming
with tears proudly repressed； upon Perez and Dona Lagounia； who fully
comprehended； both of them； the bitter thoughts those tears contained。
But they were silent： of what good were reproaches now； why look for
consolations？ The deeper they were； the more they enlarged the wound。
One evening； Juana； stupid with grief； heard through the open door of
her little room； which the old couple had thought shut； a pitying moan
from her adopted mother。
〃The child will die of grief。〃
〃Yes；〃 said Perez； in a shaking voice； 〃but what can we do？ I cannot
now boast of her beauty and her chastity to Comte d'Arcos； to whom I
hoped to marry her。〃
〃But a single fault is not vice；〃 said the old woman； pitying as the
angels。
〃Her mother gave her to this man；〃 said Perez。
〃Yes； in a moment； without consulting the poor child！〃 cried Dona
Lagounia。
〃She knew what she was doing。〃
〃But oh！ into what hands our pearl is going！〃
〃Say no more； or I shall seek a quarrel with that Diard。〃
〃And that would only lead to other miseries。〃
Hearing these dreadful words Juana saw the happy future she had lost
by her own wrongdoing。 The pure and simple years of her quiet life
would have been rewarded by a brilliant existence such as she had
fondly dreamed；dreams which had caused her ruin。 To fall from the
height of Greatness to Monsieur Diard！ She wept。 At times she went
nearly mad。 She floated for a while between vice and religion。 Vice
was a speedy solution； religion a lifetime of suffering。 The
meditation was stormy and solemn。 The next day was the fatal day； the
day for the marriage。 But Juana could still remain free。 Free； she
knew how far her misery would go； married； she was ignorant of where
it went or what it might bring her。
Religion triumphed。 Dona Lagounia stayed beside her child and prayed
and watched as she would have prayed and watched beside the dying。
〃God wills it；〃 she said to Juana。
Nature gives to woman alternately a strength which enables her to
suffer and a weakness which leads her to resignation。 Juana resigned
herself； and without restriction。 She determined t