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who have gone to a ball in a carriage； but are obliged； for whatever
cause it may be； to return on foot。 It was the first time that Jules
and Clemence had been together thus；each in a corner； usually the
husband pressed close to his wife。
〃It is very cold；〃 remarked Madame Jules。
But her husband did not hear her； he was studying the signs above the
shop windows。
〃Clemence；〃 he said at last； 〃forgive me the question I am about to
ask you。〃
He came closer； took her by the waist； and drew her to him。
〃My God； it is coming！〃 thought the poor woman。 〃Well；〃 she said
aloud； anticipating the question； 〃you want to know what Monsieur de
Maulincour said to me。 I will tell you； Jules； but not without fear。
Good God！ how is it possible that you and I should have secrets from
one another？ For the last few moments I have seen you struggling
between a conviction of our love and vague fears。 But that conviction
is clear within us； is it not？ And these doubts and fears； do they not
seem to you dark and unnatural？ Why not stay in that clear light of
love you cannot doubt？ When I have told you all； you will still desire
to know more； and yet I myself do not know what the extraordinary
words of that man meant。 What I fear is that this may lead to some
fatal affair between you。 I would rather that we both forget this
unpleasant moment。 But； in any case； swear to me that you will let
this singular adventure explain itself naturally。 Here are the facts。
Monsieur de Maulincour declared to me that the three accidents you
have heard mentionedthe falling of a stone on his servant； the
breaking down of his cabriolet； and his duel about Madame de Serizy
were the result of some plot I had laid against him。 He also
threatened to reveal to you the cause of my desire to destroy him。 Can
you imagine what all this means？ My emotion came from the sight of his
face convulsed with madness； his haggard eyes； and also his words；
broken by some violent inward emotion。 I thought him mad。 That is all
that took place。 Now； I should be less than a woman if I had not
perceived that for over a year I have become； as they call it； the
passion of Monsieur de Maulincour。 He has never seen me except at a
ball； and our intercourse has been most insignificant；merely that
which every one shares at a ball。 Perhaps he wants to disunite us； so
that he may find me at some future time alone and unprotected。 There；
see！ already you are frowning！ Oh； how cordially I hate society！ We
were so happy without him； why take any notice of him？ Jules； I
entreat you； forget all this！ To…morrow we shall； no doubt； hear that
Monsieur de Maulincour has gone mad。〃
〃What a singular affair！〃 thought Jules； as the carriage stopped under
the peristyle of their house。 He gave his arm to his wife and together
they went up to their apartments。
To develop this history in all its truth of detail； and to follow its
course through many windings； it is necessary here to divulge some of
love's secrets； to glide beneath the ceilings of a marriage chamber；
not shamelessly； but like Trilby； frightening neither Dougal nor
Jeannie； alarming no one；being as chaste as our noble French
language requires； and as bold as the pencil of Gerard in his picture
of Daphnis and Chloe。
The bedroom of Madame Jules was a sacred plot。 Herself； her husband；
and her maid alone entered it。 Opulence has glorious privileges； and
the most enviable are those which enable the development of sentiments
to their fullest extent；fertilizing them by the accomplishment of
even their caprices； and surrounding them with a brilliancy that
enlarges them； with refinements that purify them； with a thousand
delicacies that make them still more alluring。 If you hate dinners on
the grass； and meals ill…served； if you feel a pleasure in seeing a
damask cloth that is dazzlingly white； a silver…gilt dinner service；
and porcelain of exquisite purity； lighted by transparent candles；
where miracles of cookery are served under silver covers bearing coats
of arms； you must； to be consistent； leave the garrets at the tops of
the houses； and the grisettes in the streets； abandon garrets；
grisettes； umbrellas； and overshoes to men who pay for their dinners
with tickets； and you must also comprehend Love to be a principle
which develops in all its grace only on Savonnerie carpets； beneath
the opal gleams of an alabaster lamp； between guarded walls silk…hung；
before gilded hearths in chambers deadened to all outward sounds by
shutters and billowy curtains。 Mirrors must be there to show the play
of form and repeat the woman we would multiply as love itself
multiplies and magnifies her； next low divans； and a bed which； like a
secret； is divined； not shown。 In this coquettish chamber are fur…
lined slippers for pretty feet； wax…candles under glass with muslin
draperies； by which to read at all hours of the night； and flowers；
not those oppressive to the head； and linen； the fineness of which
might have satisfied Anne of Austria。
Madame Jules had realized this charming programme； but that was
nothing。 All women of taste can do as much； though there is always in
the arrangement of these details a stamp of personality which gives to
this decoration or that detail a character that cannot be imitated。
To…day； more than ever； reigns the fanaticism of individuality。 The
more our laws tend to an impossible equality； the more we shall get
away from it in our manners and customs。 Thus； rich people are
beginning； in France； to become more exclusive in their tastes and
their belongings； than they have been for the last thirty years。
Madame Jules knew very well how to carry out this programme； and
everything about her was arranged in harmony with a luxury that suits
so well with love。 Love in a cottage； or 〃Fifteen hundred francs and
my Sophy；〃 is the dream of starvelings to whom black bread suffices in
their present state； but when love really comes； they grow fastidious
and end by craving the luxuries of gastronomy。 Love holds toil and
poverty in horror。 It would rather die than merely live on from hand
to mouth。
Many women； returning from a ball； impatient for their beds； throw off
their gowns； their faded flowers； their bouquets； the fragrance of
which has now departed。 They leave their little shoes beneath a chair；
the white strings trailing； they take out their combs and let their
hair roll down as it will。 Little they care if their husbands see the
puffs； the hairpins； the artful props which supported the elegant
edifices of the hair； and the garlands or the jewels that adorned it。
No more mysteries！ all is over for the husband； no more painting or
decoration for him。 The corsethalf the time it is a corset of a
reparative kindlies where it is thrown； if the maid is too sleepy to
take it away with her。 The whalebone bustle； the oiled…silk
protections round the sleeves； the pads； the hair bought from a
coiffeur； all the false woman is there； scattered about in open sight。
/Disjecta membra poetae/； the artificial poesy； so much admired by
those for whom it is conceived and elaborated； the fragments of a
pretty woman； litter every corner of the room。 To the love of a
yawning husband； the actual presents herself； also yawning； in a
dishabille without elegance； and a tumbled night…cap； that of last
night and that of to…morrow night also；〃For really； monsieur； if you
want a pretty cap to rumple every night； increase my pin…money。〃
There's life as it is！ A woman makes herself old and unpleasing to her
husband； but dainty and elegant and adorned for others； for the rival
of all husbands；for that world which calumniates and tears to shreds
her sex。
Inspired by true love； for Love has； like other creations； its
instinct of preservation； Madame Jules did very differently； she found
in the constant blessing of her love the necessary impulse to fulfil
all those minute personal cares which ought never to be relaxed；
because they perpetuate love。 Besides； such personal cares and duties
proceed from a personal dignity which becomes all women； and are among
the sweetest of flatteries； for is it not respecting in themselves the
man they love？
So Madame Jules denied to her husband all access to her dressing…room；
where she left the accessories of her toilet； and whence she issued
mysteriously adorned for the mysterious fetes of her heart。 Entering
their chamber； which was always graceful and elegant； Jules found a
woman coquettishly wrapped in a charming /peignoir/； her hair simply
wound in heavy coils around her head； a woman always more simple； more
beautiful there than she was before the world； a woman just refreshed
in water； whose only artifice consisted in being whiter than her
muslins； sweeter than all perfumes； more seductive than any siren；
always loving and therefore always loved。 This admirable understanding
of a wife's business was the secret of Josephine's charm for Napoleon；
as in former times it was that of Caesonia for Caius Caligula； of
Diane de Poitiers for Henri II。 If it was largely productive to women
of seven or eight lustres what a weapon is it in the hands of young
women！ A husband gathers with delight the rewards of h