letters of two brides-第26章

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highway　that　he　has　a　son；　and　he　spends　whole　hours　watching　your
sleeping　godson。　He　does　not　know；　he　says；　when　he　will　grow　used　to
it。　These　extravagant　expressions　of　delight　show　me　how　great　must
have　been　their　fears　beforehand。　Louis　has　confided　in　me　that　he　had
believed　himself　condemned　to　be　childless。　Poor　fellow！　he　has　all　at
once　developed　very　much；　and　he　works　even　harder　than　he　did。　The
father　in　him　has　quickened　his　ambition。

For　myself；　dear　soul；　I　grow　happier　and　happier　every　moment。　Each
hour　creates　a　fresh　tie　between　the　mother　and　her　infant。　The　very
nature　of　my　feelings　proves　to　me　that　they　are　normal；　permanent；
and　indestructible；　whereas　I　shrewdly　suspect　love；　for　instance；　of
being　intermittent。　Certainly　it　is　not　the　same　at　all　moments；　the
flowers　which　it　weaves　into　the　web　of　life　are　not　all　of　equal
brightness；　love；　in　short；　can　and　must　decline。　But　a　mother's　love
has　no　ebb…tide　to　fear；　rather　it　grows　with　the　growth　of　the
child's　needs；　and　strengthens　with　its　strength。　Is　it　not　at　once　a
passion；　a　natural　craving；　a　feeling；　a　duty；　a　necessity；　a　joy？
Yes；　darling；　here　is　woman's　true　sphere。　Here　the　passion　for　self…
sacrifice　can　expend　itself；　and　no　jealousy　intrudes。

Here；　too；　is　perhaps　the　single　point　on　which　society　and　nature　are
at　one。　Society；　in　this　matter；　enforces　the　dictates　of　nature；
strengthening　the　maternal　instinct　by　adding　to　it　family　spirit　and
the　desire　of　perpetuating　a　name；　a　race；　an　estate。　How　tenderly
must　not　a　woman　cherish　the　child　who　has　been　the　first　to　open　up
to　her　these　joys；　the　first　to　call　forth　the　energies　of　her　nature
and　to　instruct　her　in　the　grand　art　of　motherhood！　The　right　of　the
eldest；　which　in　the　earliest　times　formed　a　part　of　the　natural　order
and　was　lost　in　the　origins　of　society；　ought　never；　in　my　opinion；　to
have　been　questioned。　Ah！　how　much　a　mother　learns　from　her　child！　The
constant　protection　of　a　helpless　being　forces　us　to　so　strict　an
alliance　with　virtue；　that　a　woman　never　shows　to　full　advantage
except　as　a　mother。　Then　alone　can　her　character　expand　in　the
fulfilment　of　all　life's　duties　and　the　enjoyment　of　all　its
pleasures。　A　woman　who　is　not　a　mother　is　maimed　and　incomplete。
Hasten；　then；　my　sweetest；　to　fulfil　your　mission。　Your　present
happiness　will　then　be　multiplied　by　the　wealth　of　my　delights。

23rd。

I　had　to　tear　myself　from　you　because　your　godson　was　crying。　I　can
hear　his　cry　from　the　bottom　of　the　garden。　But　I　would　not　let　this
go　without　a　word　of　farewell。　I　have　just　been　reading　over　what　I
have　said；　and　am　horrified　to　see　how　vulgar　are　the　feelings
expressed！　What　I　feel；　every　mother；　alas！　since　the　beginning　must
have　felt；　I　suppose；　in　the　same　way；　and　put　into　the　same　words。
You　will　laugh　at　me；　as　we　do　at　the　naive　father　who　dilates　on　the
beauty　and　cleverness　of　his　（of　course）　quite　exceptional　offspring。
But　the　refrain　of　my　letter；　darling；　is　this；　and　I　repeat　it：　I　am
as　happy　now　as　I　used　to　be　miserable。　This　grangeand　is　it　not
going　to　be　an　estate；　a　family　property？has　become　my　land　of
promise。　The　desert　is　past　and　over。　A　thousand　loves；　darling　pet。
Write　to　me；　for　now　I　can　read　without　a　tear　the　tale　of　your　happy
love。　Farewell。



XXXII

MME。　DE　MACUMER　TO　MME。　DE　L'ESTORADE
March　1826。

Do　you　know；　dear；　that　it　is　more　than　three　months　since　I　have
written　to　you　or　heard　from　you？　I　am　the　more　guilty　of　the　two；　for
I　did　not　reply　to　your　last；　but　you　don't　stand　on　punctilio　surely？

Macumer　and　I　have　taken　your　silence　for　consent　as　regards　the　baby…
wreathed　luncheon　service；　and　the　little　cherubs　are　starting　this
morning　for　Marseilles。　It　took　six　months　to　carry　out　the　design。
And　so　when　Felipe　asked　me　to　come　and　see　the　service　before　it　was
packed；　I　suddenly　waked　up　to　the　fact　that　we　had　not　interchanged　a
word　since　the　letter　of　yours　which　gave　me　an　insight　into　a
mother's　heart。

My　sweet；　it　is　this　terrible　Paristhere's　my　excuse。　What；　pray；　is
yours？　Oh！　what　a　whirlpool　is　society！　Didn't　I　tell　you　once　that　in
Paris　one　must　be　as　the　Parisians？　Society　there　drives　out　all
sentiment；　it　lays　en　embargo　on　your　time；　and　unless　you　are　very
careful；　soon　eats　away　your　heart　altogether。　What　an　amazing
masterpiece　is　the　character　of　Celimene　in　Moliere's　/Le
Misanthrope/！　She　is　the　society　woman；　not　only　of　Louis　XIV。's　time；
but　of　our　own；　and　of　all；　time。

Where　should　I　be　but　for　my　breastplatethe　love　I　bear　Felipe？　This
very　morning　I　told　him；　as　the　outcome　of　these　reflections；　that　he
was　my　salvation。　If　my　evenings　are　a　continuous　round　of　parties；
balls；　concerts；　and　theatres；　at　night　my　heart　expands　again；　and　is
healed　of　the　wounds　received　in　the　world　by　the　delights　of　the
passionate　love　which　await　my　return。

I　dine　at　home　only　when　we　have　friends；　so…called；　with　us；　and
spend　the　afternoon　there　only　on　my　day；　for　I　have　a　day　now
Wednesdayfor　receiving。　I　have　entered　the　lists　with　Mmes。　d'Espard
and　de　Maufrigneuse；　and　with　the　old　Duchesse　de　Lenoncourt；　and　my
house　has　the　reputation　of　being　a　very　lively　one。　I　allowed　myself
to　become　the　fashion；　because　I　saw　how　much　pleasure　my　success　gave
Felipe。　My　mornings　are　his；　from　four　in　the　afternoon　till　two　in
the　morning　I　belong　to　Paris。　Macumer　makes　an　admirable　host；　witty
and　dignified；　perfect　in　courtesy；　and　with　an　air　of　real
distinction。　No　woman　could　help　loving　such　a　husband　even　if　she　had
chosen　him　without　consulting　her　heart。

My　father　and　mother　have　left　for　Madrid。　Louis　XVIII。　being　out　of
the　way；　the　Duchess　had　no　difficulty　in　obtaining　from　our　good…
natured　Charles　X。　the　appointment　of　her　fascinating　poet；　so　he　is
carried　off　in　the　capacity　of　attache。

My　brother；　the　Duc　de　Rhetore；　deigns　to　recognize　me　as　a　person　of
mark。　As　for　my　younger　brother；　The　Comte　de　Chaulieu；　this　buckram
warrior　owes　me　everlasting　gratitude。　Before　my　father　left；　he　spent
my　fortune　in　acquiring　for　the　Count　an　estate　of　forty　thousand
francs　a　year；　entailed　on　the　title；　and　his　marriage　with　Mlle。　de
Mortsauf；　an　heiress　from　Touraine；　is　definitely　arranged。　The　King；
in　order　to　preserve　the　name　and　titles　of　the　de　Lenoncourt　and　de
Givry　families　from　extinction；　is　to　confer　these；　together　with　the
armorial　bearings；　by　patent　on　my　brother。　Certainly　it　would　never
have　done　to　allow　these　two　fine　names　and　their　splendid　motto；
/Faciem　semper　monstramus/；　to　perish。　Mlle。　de　Mortsauf；　who　is
granddaughter　and　sole　heiress　of　the　Duc　de　Lenoncourt…Givry；　will；
it　is　said；　inherit　altogether　more　than　one　hundred　thousand　livres　a
year。　The　only　stipulation　my　father　has　made　is　that　the　de　Chaulieu
arms　should　appear　in　the　centre　of　the　de　Lenoncourt　escutcheon。　Thus
my　brother　will　be　Duc　de　Lenoncourt。　The　young　de　Mortsauf；　to　whom
everything　would　otherwise　go；　is　in　the　last　stage　of　consumption；
his　death　is　looked　for　every　day。　The　marriage　will　take　place　next
winter　when　the　family　are　out　of　mourning。　I　am　told　that　I　shall
have　a　charming　sister…in…law　in　Mlle。　de　Mortsauf。

So　you　see　that　my　father's　reasoning　is　justified。　The　outcome　of　it
all　has　won　me　many　compliments；　and　my　marriage　is　explained　to
everybody's　satisfaction。　To　complete　our　success；　the　Prince　de
Talleyrand；　out　of　affection　for　my　grandmother；　is　showing　himself　a
warm　friend　to　Macumer。　Society；　which　began　by　criticising　me；　has
now　passed　to　cordial　admiration。

In　short；　I　now　reign　a　queen　where；　barely　two　years　ago；　I　was　an
insignificant　item。　Macumer　finds　himself　the　object　of　universal
envy；　as　the　husband　of　〃the　most　charming　woman　in　Paris。〃　At　least　a
score　of　women；　as　you　know；　are　always　in　that　proud　position。　Men
murmur　sweet　things　in　my　ear；　or　content　themselves　with　greedy
glances。　This　chorus　of　longing　and　admiration　is　so　soothing　to　one's
vanity；　that　I　confess　I　begin　to　understand　the　unconscionable　price
women　are　ready　to　pay　for　such　frail　and　precarious　privileges。　A
triumph　of　this　kind　is　like　strong　wine　to　vanity；　self…love；　and　all
the　self…regarding　feelings。　To　pose　perpetually　as　a　divinity　is　a
draught　so　potent　in　its　intoxicating　effects；　that　I　am　no　longer
surprised　to　see　women　grow　selfish；　callous；　and　frivolous　in　the
heart　of　this　adoration。　The　fumes　of　society　mount　to　the　head。　You
lavish　the　wealth　of　your　soul　and　spirit；　the　treasures　of　your　time；
the　noblest　efforts　of　your　will；　upon　a　crowd　of　people　who　repay　you
in　smiles　and　jealousy。　The　false　coin　of　their　pretty　speeches；
compliments；　and　flattery　is　the　only　return　they　give　for　the　solid
gold　of　your　courage　and　sacrifices；　and　all　the　thought　that　must　go
to　keep　up　without　flagging　the　standard　of　beauty；　dress；　sparkling
talk；　and　general　affability。　You　are　perfectly　aware　how　much　it
costs；　and　that　the　whole　thing　is　a　fraud；　but　you　cannot　keep　out　of
the　vortex。

Ah！　my　sweetheart；　how　one　craves　for　a　real　friend！　How　precious　to
me　are　the　love　and　devotion　of　Felipe；　and　how　my　heart　goes　out　to
you！　Joyfully　indeed　are　we　preparing　for　our　move　to　Chantepleurs；
where　we　can　rest　from　the　comedy　of　the　Rue　de　Bac　and　of　the　Paris
drawing…rooms。　Having　just　read　your　letter　again；　I　feel　that　I
cannot　better　describe　this　demoniac　paradise　than　by　saying　that　no
woman　of　fashion　in　Paris　can　possibly　be　a　good　mother。

Good…bye；　then；　for　a　short　time；　dear　one。　We　shall　stay　at
Chantepleurs　only　a　week　at　most；　and　shall　be　with　you　about　May
10th。　So　we　are　actually　to　meet　again　after　more　than　two　years！　What
changes　since　then！　Here　we　are；　both　matrons；　both　in　our　promised
landI　of　love；　you　of　motherhood。

If　I　have　not　written；　my　sweetest；　it　is　not　because　I　have　forgotten
you。　And　what　of　the　monkey　godson？　Is　he　still　pretty　and　a　credit　to
me？　He　must　be　more　than　nine　months'　old　now。　I　should　dearly　like　to
be　present　when　he　makes　his　first　steps　upon　this　earth；　but　Macumer
tells　me　that　even　precocious　infants　hardly　walk　at　ten　months。

We　shall　have　some　good　gossips　there；　and　〃cut　pinafores；〃　as　the
Blois　folk　say。　I　shall　see　whether　a　child；　as　the　saying　goes；
spoils　the　pattern。

P。　S。If　you　deign　to　reply　from　your　maternal　heights；　address　to
Chantepleurs。　I　am　just　off。



XXXIII

MME。　DE　L'ESTORADE　TO　MME。　DE　MACUMER

My　child；If　ever　you　become　a　mother；　you　will　find　out　that　it　is
impossible　to　write　letters　during　the　first　two　months　of　your
nursing。　Mary；　my　English　nurse；　and　I　are　both　quite　knocked　up。　It
is　true　I　had　not　told　you　that　I　was　determined　to　do　everything
myself。　Before　the　event　I　had　with　my　own　fingers　sewn　the　baby
clothes　and　embroidered　and　edged　with　lace　the　little　caps。　I　am　a
slave；　my　pet；　a　slave　day　and　night。

To　begin　with；　Master　Armand…Louis　takes　his　meals　when　it　pleases
him；　and　that　is　always；　then　he　has　often　to　be　changed；　washed；　and
dressed。　His　mother　is　so　fond　of　watching　him　sleep；　of　singing　songs
to　him；　of　walking　him　about　in　her　arms　on　a　fine