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pity； and inwardly resented it。 What woman； however innocent； does not
desire to excite envy？
No dangerous idea； unhealthy or even equivocal； soiled the pure pulp
of their brain； their hearts were innocent； their hands were horribly
red； and they glowed with health。 Eve did not issue more innocent from
the hands of God than these two girls from their mother's home when
they went to the mayor's office and the church to be married； after
receiving the simple but terrible injunction to obey in all things two
men with whom they were henceforth to live and sleep by day and by
night。 To their minds； nothing could be worse in the strange houses
where they were to go than the maternal convent。
Why did the father of these poor girls； the Comte de Granville； a wise
and upright magistrate （though sometimes led away by politics）；
refrain from protecting the helpless little creatures from such
crushing despotism？ Alas！ by mutual understanding； about ten years
after marriage； he and his wife were separated while living under one
roof。 The father had taken upon himself the education of his sons；
leaving that of the daughters to his wife。 He saw less danger for
women than for men in the application of his wife's oppressive system。
The two Maries； destined as women to endure tyranny； either of love or
marriage； would be； he thought； less injured than boys； whose minds
ought to have freer play； and whose manly qualities would deteriorate
under the powerful compression of religious ideas pushed to their
utmost consequences。 Of four victims the count saved two。
The countess regarded her sons as too ill…trained to admit of the
slightest intimacy with their sisters。 All communication between the
poor children was therefore strictly watched。 When the boys came home
from school； the count was careful not to keep them in the house。 The
boys always breakfasted with their mother and sisters； but after that
the count took them off to museums； theatres； restaurants； or； during
the summer season； into the country。 Except on the solemn days of some
family festival； such as the countess's birthday or New Year's day； or
the day of the distribution of prizes； when the boys remained in their
father's house and slept there； the sisters saw so little of their
brothers that there was absolutely no tie between them。 On those days
the countess never left them for an instant alone together。 Calls of
〃Where is Angelique？〃〃What is Eugenie about？〃〃Where are my
daughters？〃 resounded all day。 As for the mother's sentiments towards
her sons； the countess raised to heaven her cold and macerated eyes；
as if to ask pardon of God for not having snatched them from iniquity。
Her exclamations； and also her reticences on the subject of her sons；
were equal to the most lamenting verses in Jeremiah； and completely
deceived the sisters； who supposed their sinful brothers to be doomed
to perdition。
When the boys were eighteen years of age； the count gave them rooms in
his own part of the house； and sent them to study law under the
supervision of a solicitor； his former secretary。 The two Maries knew
nothing therefore of fraternity； except by theory。 At the time of the
marriage of the sisters； both brothers were practising in provincial
courts； and both were detained by important cases。 Domestic life in
many families which might be expected to be intimate； united； and
homogeneous； is really spent in this way。 Brothers are sent to a
distance； busy with their own careers； their own advancement；
occupied； perhaps； about the good of the country； the sisters are
engrossed in a round of other interests。 All the members of such a
family live disunited； forgetting one another； bound together only by
some feeble tie of memory； until； perhaps； a sentiment of pride or
self…interest either joins them or separates them in heart as they
already are in fact。 Modern laws； by multiplying the family by the
family； has created a great evil；namely； individualism。
In the depths of this solitude where their girlhood was spent；
Angelique and Eugenie seldom saw their father； and when he did enter
the grand apartment of his wife on the first floor； he brought with
him a saddened face。 In his own home he always wore the grave and
solemn look of a magistrate on the bench。 When the little girls had
passed the age of dolls and toys； when they began； about twelve； to
use their minds （an epoch at which they ceased to laugh at Schmucke）
they divined the secret of the cares that lined their father's
forehead； and they recognized beneath that mask of sternness the
relics of a kind heart and a fine character。 They vaguely perceived
how he had yielded to the forces of religion in his household；
disappointed as he was in his hopes of a husband； and wounded in the
tenderest fibres of paternity；the love of a father for his
daughters。 Such griefs were singularly moving to the hearts of the two
young girls； who were themselves deprived of all tenderness。
Sometimes； when pacing the garden between his daughters； with an arm
round each little waist； and stepping with their own short steps； the
father would stop short behind a clump of trees； out of sight of the
house； and kiss them on their foreheads； his eyes； his lips； his whole
countenance expressing the deepest commiseration。
〃You are not very happy； my dear little girls；〃 he said one day； 〃but
I shall marry you early。 It will comfort me to have you leave home。〃
〃Papa；〃 said Eugenie； 〃we have decided to take the first man who
offers。〃
〃Ah！〃 he cried； 〃that is the bitter fruit of such a system。 They want
to make saints； and they make〃 he stopped without ending his
sentence。
Often the two girls felt an infinite tenderness in their father's
〃Adieu；〃 or in his eyes； when； by chance； he dined at home。 They
pitied that father so seldom seen； and love follows often upon pity。
This stern and rigid education was the cause of the marriages of the
two sisters welded together by misfortune； as Rita…Christina by the
hand of Nature。 Many men； driven to marriage； prefer a girl taken from
a convent； and saturated with piety； to a girl brought up to worldly
ideas。 There seems to be no middle course。 A man must marry either an
educated girl； who reads the newspapers and comments upon them； who
waltzes with a dozen young men； goes to the theatre； devours novels；
cares nothing for religion； and makes her own ethics； or an ignorant
and innocent young girl； like either of the two Maries。 Perhaps there
may be as much danger with the one kind as with the other。 Yet the
vast majority of men who are not so old as Arnolphe； prefer a
religious Agnes to a budding Celimene。
The two Maries； who were small and slender； had the same figure； the
same foot； the same hand。 Eugenie； the younger； was fair…haired； like
her mother； Angelique was dark…haired； like the father。 But they both
had the same complexion；a skin of the pearly whiteness which shows
the richness and purity of the blood； where the color rises through a
tissue like that of the jasmine； soft； smooth； and tender to the
touch。 Eugenie's blue eyes and the brown eyes of Angelique had an
expression of artless indifference； of ingenuous surprise； which was
rendered by the vague manner with which the pupils floated on the
fluid whiteness of the eyeball。 They were both well…made； the rather
thin shoulders would develop later。 Their throats； long veiled；
delighted the eye when their husbands requested them to wear low
dresses to a ball； on which occasion they both felt a pleasing shame；
which made them first blush behind closed doors； and afterwards；
through a whole evening in company。
On the occasion when this scene opens； and the eldest； Angelique； was
weeping； while the younger； Eugenie； was consoling her； their hands
and arms were white as milk。 Each had nursed a child；one a boy； the
other a daughter。 Eugenie； as a girl； was thought very giddy by her
mother； who had therefore treated her with especial watchfulness and
severity。 In the eyes of that much…feared mother； Angelique； noble and
proud； appeared to have a soul so lofty that it would guard itself；
whereas； the more lively Eugenie needed restraint。 There are many
charming beings misused by fate；beings who ought by rights to
prosper in this life； but who live and die unhappy； tortured by some
evil genius； the victims of unfortunate circumstances。 The innocent
and naturally light…hearted Eugenie had fallen into the hands and
beneath the malicious despotism of a self…made man on leaving the
maternal prison。 Angelique； whose nature inclined her to deeper
sentiments； was thrown into the upper spheres of Parisian social life；
with the bridle lying loose upon her neck。
CHAPTER II
A CONFIDENCE BETWEEN SISTERS
Madame de Vandenesse； Marie…Angelique； who seemed to have broken down
under a weight of troubles too heavy for her soul to bear； was l