shehasblackenedtheircharacter，tornthemtopieces。Accordingtoher，virtueconsistsinburyingallthesesavageinstinctsinone’sinnermostheart。Butwhatthenoftheheart？Itbecomesthesinkofallthatisworstinus。
　　Itisveryhumiliatingthatnoadorerhasyetturnedupforme。Iamamarriageablegirl，butIhavebrothers，afamily，relations，whoaresensitiveonthepointofhonor。Ah!ifthatiswhatkeepsmenback，theyarepoltroons。
　　ThepartofChimeneinthe/Cid/andthatoftheCiddelightme。Whatamarvelousplay!Well，good-bye。
　　January。
　　Ourmasterisapoorrefugee，forcedtokeepinhidingonaccountofthepartheplayedintherevolutionwhichtheDucd’Angoulemehasjustquelled——atriumphtowhichweowesomesplendidfetes。ThoughaLiberal，anddoubtlessamanofthepeople，hehasawakenedmyinterest：Ifancythathemusthavebeencondemnedtodeath。Imakehimtalkforthepurposeofgettingathissecret；butheisofatrulyCastiliantaciturnity，proudasthoughhewereGonsalvodiCordova，andneverthelessangelicinhispatienceandgentleness。HisprideisnotirritablelikeMissGriffith’s，itbelongstohisinnernature；heforcesustocivilitybecausehisownmannersaresoperfect，andholdsusatadistancebytherespectheshowsus。MyfatherdeclaresthatthereisagreatdealofthenoblemaninSenorHenarez，whom，amongourselves，hecallsinfunDonHenarez。
　　AfewdaysagoItookthelibertyofaddressinghimthus。Heraisedhiseyes，whicharegenerallybentontheground，andflashedalookfromthemthatquiteabashedme；mydear，hecertainlyhasthemostbeautifuleyesimaginable。IaskedhimifIhadoffendedhiminanyway，andhesaidtomeinhisgrand，rollingSpanish：
　　“IamhereonlytoteachyouSpanish。“
　　Iblushedandfeltquitesnubbed。Iwasonthepointofmakingsomepertanswer，whenIrememberedwhatourdearmotherinGodusedtosaytous，andIrepliedinstead：
　　“Itwouldbeakindnesstotellmeifyouhaveanythingtocomplainof。“
　　Atremorpassedthroughhim，thebloodroseinhisolivecheeks；herepliedinavoiceofsomeemotion：
　　“Religionmusthavetaughtyou，betterthanIcan，torespecttheunhappy。HadIbeena/don/inSpain，andlosteverythinginthetriumphofFerdinandVII。，yourwitticismwouldbeunkind；butifIamonlyapoorteacheroflanguages，isitnotaheartlesssatire？
　　Neitherisworthyofayoungladyofrank。“
　　Itookhishand，saying：
　　“Inthenameofreligionalso，Ibegyoutopardonme。“
　　Hebowed，openedmy/DonQuixote/，andsatdown。
　　Thislittleincidentdisturbedmemorethantheharvestofcompliments，gazingandprettyspeechesonmymostsuccessfulevening。
　　DuringthelessonIwatchedhimattentively，whichIcoulddothemoresafely，asheneverlooksatme。
　　Astheresultofmyobservations，Imadeoutthatthetutor，whomwetooktobeforty，isayoungman，someyearsunderthirty。Mygoverness，towhomIhadhandedhimover，remarkedonthebeautyofhisblackhairandofhispearlyteeth。Astohiseyes，theyarevelvetandfire；butheisplainandinsignificant。ThoughtheSpaniardshavebeendescribedasnotacleanlypeople，thismanismostcarefullygotup，andhishandsarewhiterthanhisface。Hestoopsalittle，andhasanextremelylarge，oddly-shapedhead。Hisugliness，which，however，hasadashofpiquancy，isaggravatedbysmallpoxmarks，whichseamhisface。Hisforeheadisveryprominent，andtheshaggyeyebrowsmeet，givingarepellentairofharshness。
　　Thereisafrowning，plaintivelookonhisface，remindingoneofasicklychild，whichowesitslifetosuperhumancare，asSisterMarthedid。Asmyfatherobserved，hisfeaturesareashrunkenreproductionofthoseofCardinalXimenes。Thenaturaldignityofourtutor’smannersseemstodisconcertthedearDuke，whodoesn’tlikehim，andisneverateasewithhim；hecan’tbeartocomeincontactwithsuperiorityofanykind。
　　AssoonasmyfatherknowsenoughSpanish，westartforMadrid。WhenHenarezreturned，twodaysafterthereproofhehadgivenme，I
　　remarkedbywayofshowingmygratitude：
　　“IhavenodoubtthatyouleftSpaininconsequenceofpoliticalevents。Ifmyfatherissentthere，asseemstobeexpected，weshallbeinapositiontohelpyou，andmightbeabletoobtainyourpardon，incaseyouareundersentence。“
　　“Itisimpossibleforanyonetohelpme，“hereplied。
　　“But，“Isaid，“isthatbecauseyourefusetoacceptanyhelp，orbecausethethingitselfisimpossible？“
　　“Both，“hesaid，withabow，andinatonewhichforbadecontinuingthesubject。
　　Myfather’sbloodchafedinmyveins。Iwasoffendedbythishaughtydemeanor，andpromptlydroppedSenorHenarez。
　　Allthesame，mydear，thereissomethingfineinthisrejectionofanyaid。“Hewouldnotacceptevenourfriendship，“Ireflected，whilstconjugatingaverb。SuddenlyIstoppedshortandtoldhimwhatwasinmymind，butinSpanish。Henarezrepliedverypolitelythatequalityofsentimentwasnecessarybetweenfriends，whichdidnotexistinthiscase，andthereforeitwasuselesstoconsiderthequestion。
　　“Doyoumeanequalityintheamountoffeelingoneitherside，orequalityinrank？“Ipersisted，determinedtoshakehimoutofthisprovokinggravity。
　　Heraisedoncemorethoseawe-inspiringeyes，andminefellbeforethem。Dear，thismanisahopelessenigma。Heseemedtoaskwhethermywordsmeantlove；andthemixtureofjoy，pride，andagonizeddoubtinhisglancewenttomyheart。Itwasplainthatadvances，whichwouldbetakenforwhattheywereworthinFrance，mightlandmeindifficultieswithaSpaniard，andIdrewbackintomyshell，feelingnotalittlefoolish。
　　Thelessonover，hebowed，andhiseyeswereeloquentofthehumbleprayer：“Don’ttriflewithapoorwretch。“
　　Thissuddencontrasttohisusualgraveanddignifiedmannermadeagreatimpressiononme。Itseemshorribletothinkandtosay，butI
　　can’thelpbelievingthattherearetreasuresofaffectioninthatman。
　　Allisover，mydearchild，anditisMme。del’Estoradewhowritestoyou。Butbetweenusthereisnochange；itisonlyagirltheless。
　　Don’tbetroubled；Ididnotgivemyconsentrecklesslyorwithoutmuchthought。Mylifeishenceforthmappedoutforme，andthefreedomfromalluncertaintyastotheroadformetofollowsuitsmymindanddisposition。Agreatmoralpowerhassteppedin，andonceforallsweptwhatwecallchanceoutofmylife。Wehavethepropertytodevelop，ourhometobeautifyandadorn；formethereisalsoahouseholdtodirectandsweetenandahusbandtoreconciletolife。InallprobabilityIshallhaveafamilytolookafter，childrentoeducate。
　　Whatwouldyouhave？Everydaylifecannotbecastinheroicmould。Nodoubtthereseems，atanyrateatfirstsight，noroomleftinthisschemeoflifeforthatlongingaftertheinfinitewhichexpandsthemindandsoul。Butwhatistheretopreventmefromlaunchingonthatboundlessseaourfamiliarcraft？NormustyousupposethatthehumbledutiestowhichIdedicatemylifegivenoscopeforpassion。Torestorefaithinhappinesstoanunfortunate，whohasbeenthesportofadversecircumstances，isanoblework，andonewhichalonemaysufficetorelievethemonotonyofmyexistence。Icanseenoopeningleftforsuffering，andIseeagreatdealofgoodtobedone。IneednothidefromyouthattheloveIhaveforLouisdel’Estoradeisnotofthekindwhichmakestheheartthrobatthesoundofastep，andthrillsusatthelightesttonesofavoice，orthecaressofaburningglance；but，ontheotherhand，thereisnothinginhimwhichoffendsme。
　　WhatamItodo，youwillask，withthatinstinctforallwhichisgreatandnoble，withthosementalenergies，whichhavemadethelinkbetweenus，andwhichwestillpossess？Iadmitthatthisthoughthastroubledme。Butarethesefacultieslessoursbecausewekeepthemconcealed，usingthemonlyinsecretforthewelfareofthefamily，asinstrumentstoproducethehappinessofthoseconfidedtoourcare，towhomweareboundtogiveourselveswithoutreserve？Thetimeduringwhichawomancanlookforadmirationisshort，itwillsoonbepast；
　　andifmylifehasnotbeenagreatone，itwillatleasthavebeencalm，tranquil，freefromshocks。
　　Naturehasfavoredoursexingivingusachoicebetweenloveandmotherhood。Ihavemademine。Mychildrenshallbemygods，andthisspotofearthmyEldorado。
　　Icansaynomoreto-day。Thankyoumuchforallthethingsyouhavesentme。Giveaglanceatmyneedsontheenclosedlist。Iamdeterminedtoliveinanatmosphereofrefinementandluxury，andtotakefromprovinciallifeonlywhatmakesitscharm。Insolitudeawomancanneverbevulgarized——sheremainsherself。Icountgreatlyonyourkindnessforkeepingmeuptothefashion。Myfather-in-lawissodelightedthathecanrefusemenothing，andturnshishouseupsidedown。WearegettingworkpeoplefromParisandrenovatingeverything。
　　MLLE。DECHAULIEUTOMME。DEL’ESTORADE
　　January。
　　Oh!Renee，youhavemadememiserablefordays!Sothatbewitchingbody，thosebeautifulproudfeatures，thatnaturalgraceofmanner，thatsoulfullofpricelessgifts，thoseeyes，wherethesoulcanslakeitsthirstasatafountainoflove，thatheart，withitsexquisitedelicacy，thatbreadthofmind，thoserarepowers——fruitofnatureandofourinterchangeofthought——treasureswhenceshouldissueauniquesatisfactionforpassionanddesire，hoursofpoetrytooutweighyears，joystomakeamanservealifetimeforonegraciousgesture，——allthisistobeburiedinthetediumofatame，commonplacemarriage，tovanishintheemptinessofanexistencewhichyouwillcometoloath!Ihateyourchildrenbeforetheyareborn。
　　Theywillbemonsters!
　　Soyouknowallthatliesbeforeyou；youhavenothinglefttohope，orfear，orsuffer？Andsupposingthegloriousmorningriseswhichwillbringyoufacetofacewiththemandestinedtorouseyoufromthesleepintowhichyouareplunging!……Ah!acoldshivergoesthroughmeatthethought!
　　Well，atleastyouhaveafriend。You，itisunderstood，aretobetheguardianangelofyourvalley。Youwillgrowfamiliarwithitsbeauties，willlivewithitinallitsaspects，tillthegrandeurofnature，theslowgrowthofvegetation，comparedwiththelightningrapidityofthought，becomelikeapartofyourself；andasyoureyerestsonthelaughingflowers，youwillquestionyourownheart。Whenyouwalkbetweenyourhusband，silentandcontented，infront，andyourchildrenscreamingandrompingbehind，Icantellyoubeforehandwhatyouwillwritetome。Yourmistyvalley，yourhills，bareorclothedwithmagnificenttrees，yourmeadow，thewonderofProvence，withitsfreshwaterdispersedinlittlerunlets，thedifferenteffectsoftheatmosphere，thiswholeworldofinfinitywhichlapsyouround，andwhichGodhasmadesovarious，willrecalltoyoutheinfinitesamenessofyoursoul’slife。ButatleastIshallbethere，myRenee，andinmeyouwillfindaheartwhichnosocialpettinessshallevercorrupt，aheartallyourown。
　　Monday。
　　Mydear，mySpaniardisquiteadorablymelancholy；thereissomethingcalm，severe，manly，andmysteriousabouthimwhichinterestsmeprofoundly。Hisunvaryingsolemnityandthesilencewhichenvelopshimactlikeanirritantonthemind。Hismutedignityisworthyofafallenking。GriffithandIspendourtimeoverhimasthoughhewereariddle。
　　Howodditis!Alanguage-mastercapturesmyfancyasnoothermanhasdone。YetbythistimeIhavepassedinreviewalltheyoungmenoffamily，theattachestoembassies，andtheambassadors，generals，andinferiorofficers，thepeersofFrance，theirsonsandnephews，thecourt，andthetown。
　　Thecoldnessofthemanprovokesme。Thesandywastewhichhetriestoplace，anddoesplace，betweenusiscoveredbyhisdeeprootedpride；
　　hewrapshimselfinmystery。Thehangingbackisonhisside，theboldnessonmine。Thisoddsituationaffordsmethemoreamusementbecausethewholethingismeretrifling。Whatisaman，aSpaniard，andateacheroflanguagestome？Imakenoaccountofanymanwhatever，wereheaking。Weareworthfarmore，Iamsure，thanthegreatestofthem。WhataslaveIwouldhavemadeofNapoleon!Ifhehadlovedme，shouldn’thehavefeltthewhip!