Thismanisreallyveryhandsome。Hetalksadmirably，andhasremarkableintellectualpower。Mydear，heisaveryBossuetinforceandpersuasivenesswhenheexplainsthemechanism，notonlyoftheSpanishtongue，butalsoofhumanthoughtandofalllanguage。HismothertongueseemstobeFrench。WhenIexpressedsurpriseatthis，herepliedthathecametoFrancewhenquiteaboy，followingtheKingofSpaintoValencay。
　　Whathaspassedwithinthisenigmaticbeing？Heisnolongerthesameman。Hecame，dressedquitesimply，butjustasanygentlemanwouldforamorningwalk。Heputforthallhiseloquence，andflashedwit，likeraysfromabeacon，allthroughthelesson。Likeamanrousedfromlethargy，herevealedtomeanewworldofthoughts。HetoldmethestoryofsomepoordevilofavaletwhogaveuphislifeforasingleglancefromaqueenofSpain。
　　“Whatcouldhedobutdie？“Iexclaimed。
　　Thisdelightedhim，andhelookedatmeinawaywhichwastrulyalarming。
　　IntheeveningIwenttoaballattheDuchessedeLenoncourt’s。ThePrincedeTalleyrandhappenedtobethere；andIgotM。deVandenesse，acharmingyoungman，toaskhimwhether，amongtheguestsathiscountry-placein1809，herememberedanyoneofthenameofHenarez。
　　VandenessereportedthePrince’sreply，wordforword，asfollows：
　　“HenarezistheMoorishnameoftheSoriafamily，whoare，theysay，descendantsoftheAbencerrages，convertedtoChristianity。TheoldDukeandhistwosonswerewiththeKing。Theeldest，thepresentDukedeSoria，hasjusthadallhisproperty，titles，anddignitiesconfiscatedbyKingFerdinand，whointhiswayavengesalong-standingfeud。TheDukemadeahugemistakeinconsentingtoformaconstitutionalministrywithValdez。Happily，heescapedfromCadizbeforethearrivaloftheDucd’Angouleme，who，withthebestwillintheworld，couldnothavesavedhimfromtheKing’swrath。“
　　Thisinformationgavememuchfoodforreflection。IcannotdescribetoyouthesuspenseinwhichIpassedthetimetillmynextlesson，whichtookplacethismorning。
　　DuringthefirstquarterofanhourIexaminedhimclosely，debatinginwardlywhetherheweredukeorcommoner，withoutbeingabletocometoanyconclusion。Heseemedtoreadmyfanciesastheyaroseandtotakepleasureinthwartingthem。AtlastIcouldendureitnolonger。
　　Puttingdownmybooksuddenly，IbrokeoffthetranslationIwasmakingofitaloud，andsaidtohiminSpanish：
　　“Youaredeceivingus。Youarenopoormiddle-classLiberal。YouaretheDukedeSoria!“
　　“Mademoiselle，“hereplied，withagestureofsorrow，“unhappily，IamnottheDucdeSoria。“
　　Ifeltallthedespairwithwhichheutteredtheword“unhappily。“Ah!
　　mydear，nevershouldIhaveconceiveditpossibletothrowsomuchmeaningandpassionintoasingleword。Hiseyeshaddropped，andhedarednolongerlookatme。
　　“M。deTalleyrand，“Isaid，“inwhosehouseyouspentyouryearsofexile，declaresthatanyonebearingthenameofHenarezmusteitherbethelateDucdeSoriaoralacquey。“
　　Helookedatmewitheyesliketwoblackburningcoals，atonceblazingandashamed。Themanmighthavebeeninthetorture-chamber。
　　Allhesaidwas：
　　“MyfatherwasintruththeservantoftheKingofSpain。“
　　Griffithcouldmakenothingofthissortoflesson。Anawkwardsilencefollowedeachquestionandanswer。
　　“Inoneword，“Isaid，“areyouanoblemanornot？“
　　“YouknowthatinSpainevenbeggarsarenoble。“
　　Thisreticenceprovokedme。SincethelastlessonIhadgivenplaytomyimaginationinalittlepracticaljoke。IhaddrawnanidealportraitofthemanwhomIshouldwishformyloverinaletterwhichIdesignedgivingtohimtotranslate。Sofar，IhadonlyputSpanishintoFrench，notFrenchintoSpanish；Ipointedthisouttohim，andbeggedGriffithtobringmethelastletterIhadreceivedfromafriendofmine。
　　“Ishallfindout，“Ithought，fromtheeffectmysketchhasonhim，“whatsortofbloodrunsinhisveins。“
　　ItookthepaperfromGriffith’shands，saying：
　　“LetmeseeifIhavecopieditrightly。“
　　Foritwasallinmywriting。Ihandedhimthepaper，or，ifyouwill，thesnare，andIwatchedhimwhilehereadasfollows：
　　“Hewhoistowinmyheart，mydear，mustbeharshandunbendingwithmen，butgentlewithwomen。Hiseagleeyemusthavepowertoquellwithasingleglancetheleastapproachtoridicule。Hewillhaveapityingsmileforthosewhowouldjeeratsacredthings，aboveall，atthatpoetryoftheheart，withoutwhichlifewouldbebutadrearycommonplace。Ihavethegreatestscornforthosewhowouldrobusofthelivingfountainofreligiousbeliefs，sorichinsolace。Hisfaith，therefore，shouldhavethesimplicityofachild，thoughunitedtothefirmconvictionofanintelligentman，whohasexaminedthefoundationsofhiscreed。Hisfreshandoriginalwayoflookingatthingsmustbeentirelyfreefromaffectationordesiretoshowoff。
　　Hiswordswillbefewandfit，andhismindsorichlystored，thathecannotpossiblybecomeaboretohimselfanymorethantoothers。
　　“Allhisthoughtsmusthaveahighandchivalrouscharacter，withoutalloyofself-seeking；whilehisactionsshouldbemarkedbyatotalabsenceofinterestedorsordidmotives。Anyweakpointshemayhavewillarisefromtheveryelevationofhisviewsabovethoseofthecommonherd，forineveryrespectIwouldhavehimsuperiortohisage。Evermindfulofthedelicateattentionsduetotheweak，hewillbegentletoallwomen，butnotpronelightlytofallinlovewithany；forlovewillseemtohimtooserioustoturnintoagame。
　　“Thusitmighthappenthathewouldspendhislifeinignoranceoftruelove，whileallthetimepossessingthosequalitiesmostfittedtoinspireit。Butifeverhefindtheidealwomanwhohashauntedhiswakingdreams，ifhemeetwithanaturecapableofunderstandinghisown，onewhocouldfillhissoulandpoursunlightoverhislife，couldshineasastarthroughthemistsofthischillandgloomyworld，lendfreshcharmtoexistence，anddrawmusicfromthehithertosilentchordsofhisbeing——needlesstosay，hewouldrecognizeandwelcomehisgoodfortune。
　　“Andshe，too，wouldbehappy。Never，bywordorlook，wouldhewoundthetenderheartwhichabandoneditselftohim，withtheblindtrustofachildreposinginitsmother’sarms。Forwerethevisionshattered，itwouldbethewreckofherinnerlife。Tothemightywatersofloveshewouldconfideherall!
　　“ThemanIpicturemustbelong，inexpression，inattitude，ingait，inhiswayofperformingalikethesmallestandthegreatestactions，tothatraceofthetrulygreatwhoarealwayssimpleandnatural。Heneednotbegood-looking，buthishandsmustbebeautiful。Hisupperlipwillcurlwithacareless，ironicsmileforthegeneralpublic，whilsthereservesforthosehelovestheheavenly，radiantglanceinwhichheputshissoul。“
　　“Willmademoiselleallowme，“hesaidinSpanish，inavoicefullofagitation，“tokeepthiswritinginmemoryofher？ThisisthelastlessonIshallhavethehonorofgivingher，andthatwhichIhavejustreceivedinthesewordsmayservemeforanabidingruleoflife。
　　IleftSpain，afugitiveandpenniless，butIhaveto-dayreceivedfrommyfamilyasumsufficientformyneeds。YouwillallowmetosendsomepoorSpaniardinmyplace。“
　　Inotherwords，heseemedtometosay，“Thislittlegamemuststop。“
　　Herosewithanairofmarvelousdignity，andleftmequiteupsetbysuchunheard-ofdelicacyinamanofhisclass。Hewentdownstairsandaskedtospeakwithmyfather。
　　Atdinnermyfathersaidtomewithasmile：
　　“Louise，youhavebeenlearningSpanishfromanex-ministerandamancondemnedtodeath。“
　　“TheDucdeSoria，“Isaid。
　　“Duke!“repliedmyfather。“No，heisnotthatanylonger；hetakesthetitlenowofBarondeMacumerfromapropertywhichstillremainstohiminSardinia。Heissomethingofanoriginal，Ithink。“
　　“Don’tbrandwiththatword，whichwithyoualwaysimpliessomemockeryandscorn，amanwhoisyourequal，andwho，Ibelieve，hasanoblenature。“
　　“BaronnedeMacumer？“exclaimedmyfather，withalaughingglanceatme。
　　Pridekeptmyeyesfixedonthetable。
　　“But，“saidmymother，“HenarezmusthavemettheSpanishambassadoronthesteps？“
　　“Yes，“repliedmyfather，“theambassadoraskedmeifIwasconspiringagainsttheKing，hismaster；buthegreetedtheex-grandeeofSpainwithmuchdeference，andplacedhisservicesathisdisposal。“
　　Allthis，dear，Mme。del’Estorade，happenedafortnightago，anditisafortnightnowsinceIhaveseenthemanwholovesme，forthathelovesmethereisnotadoubt。Whatisheabout？IfonlyIwereafly，oramouse，orasparrow!Iwanttoseehimalone，myselfunseen，athishouse。Onlythink，amanexists，towhomIcansay，“Goanddieforme!“Andheissomadethathewouldgo，atleastIthinkso。
　　Anyhow，thereisinParisamanwhooccupiesmythoughts，andwhoseglancepourssunshineintomysoul。Isnotsuchamananenemy，whomI
　　oughttotrampleunderfoot？What？Thereisamanwhohasbecomenecessarytome——amanwithoutwhomIdon’tknowhowtolive!Youmarried，andI——inlove!Fourlittlemonths，andthosetwodoves，whosewingserstborethemsohigh，havefluttereddownupontheflatstretchesofreallife!
　　Sunday。
　　Yesterday，attheItalianOpera，Icouldfeelsomeonewaslookingatme；myeyesweredrawn，asbyamagnet，totwowellsoffire，gleaminglikecarbunclesinadimcorneroftheorchestra。Henareznevermovedhiseyesfromme。Thewretchhaddiscoveredtheonespotfromwhichhecouldseeme——andtherehewas。Idon’tknowwhathemaybeasapolitician，butforlovehehasagenius。
　　Behold，myfairRenee，whereourbusinessnowstands，asthegreatCorneillehassaid。
　　MME。DEL’ESTORADETOMLLE。DECHAULIEU
　　LACRAMPADE，February。
　　MydearLouise，——Iwasboundtowaitsometimebeforewritingtoyou；
　　butnowIknow，orratherIhavelearned，manythingswhich，forthesakeofyourfuturehappiness，Imusttellyou。Thedifferencebetweenagirlandamarriedwomanissovast，thatthegirlcannomorecomprehenditthanthemarriedwomancangobacktogirlhoodagain。
　　IchosetomarryLouisdel’Estoraderatherthanreturntotheconvent；thatatleastisplain。SosoonasIrealizedthattheconventwastheonlyalternativetomarryingLouis，Ihad，asgirlssay，to“submit，“andmysubmissiononcemade，thenextthingwastoexaminethesituationandtrytomakethebestofit。
　　TheseriousnatureofwhatIwasundertakingfilledmeatfirstwithterror。Marriageisamatterconcerningthewholeoflife，whilstloveaimsonlyatpleasure。Ontheotherhand，marriagewillremainwhenpleasureshavevanished，anditisthesourceofinterestsfarmorepreciousthanthoseofthemanandwomanenteringonthealliance。
　　Mightitnotthereforebethattheonlyrequisiteforahappymarriagewasfriendship——afriendshipwhich，forthesakeoftheseadvantages，wouldshutitseyestomanyoftheimperfectionsofhumanity？NowtherewasnoobstacletotheexistenceoffriendshipbetweenmyselfandLouisdel’Estorade。Havingrenouncedallideaoffindinginmarriagethosetransportsofloveonwhichourmindsusedsooften，andwithsuchperilousrapture，todwell，Ifoundagentlecalmsettlingoverme。“Ifdebarredfromlove，whynotseekforhappiness？“
　　Isaidtomyself。“Moreover，Iamloved，andtheloveofferedmeI
　　shallaccept。Mymarriedlifewillbenoslavery，butratheraperpetualreign。Whatistheretosayagainstsuchasituationforawomanwhowishestoremainabsolutemistressofherself？“
　　TheimportantpointofseparatingmarriagefrommaritalrightswassettledinaconversationbetweenLouisandme，inthecourseofwhichhegaveproofofanexcellenttemperandatenderheart。Darling，mydesirewastoprolongthatfairseasonofhopewhich，neverculminatinginsatisfaction，leavestothesoulitsvirginity。Tograntnothingtodutyorthelaw，tobeguidedentirelybyone’sownwill，retainingperfectindependence——whatcouldbemoreattractive，morehonorable？