feelforyourcharmbothofbodyandmind。Thereisinyouararecombinationoftheideal，thepractical，andthebewitchingwhichsatisfiesalikejudgment，ahusband’spride，desire，andhope，andwhichextendstheboundariesoflovebeyondthoseoflifeitself。
　　Oh!mylovedone，maythegeniusofloveremainfaithfultome，andthefuturebefullofthosedelightsbymeansofwhichyouhaveglorifiedallthatsurroundsme!Ilongforthedaywhichshallmakeyouamother，thatImayseeyoucontentwiththefulnessofyourlife，mayhearyou，inthesweetvoiceIloveandwiththethoughts，blessthelovewhichhasrefreshedmysoulandgivennewvigortomypowers，thelovewhichismypride，andwhenceIhavedrawn，asfromamagicfountain，freshlife。Yes，I
　　shallbeallthatyouwouldhaveme。Ishalltakealeadingpartinthepubliclifeofthedistrict，andonyoushallfalltheraysofaglorywhichwilloweitsexistencetothedesireofpleasingyou。“
　　Somuchformypupil，dear!Doyousupposehecouldhavewrittenlikethisbefore？Ayearhencehisstylewillhavestillfurtherimproved。
　　Louisisnowinhisfirsttransport；whatIlookforwardtoistheuniformandcontinuoussensationofcontentwhichoughttobethefruitofahappymarriage，whenamanandwoman，inperfecttrustandmutualknowledge，havesolvedtheproblemofgivingvarietytotheinfinite。Thisisthetasksetbeforeeverytruewife；theanswerbeginstodawnonme，andIshallnotresttillIhavemadeitmine。
　　Youseethathefancieshimself——vanityofmen!——thechosenofmyheart，justasthoughtherewerenolegalbonds。Nevertheless，Ihavenotyetgotbeyondthatexternalattractionwhichgivesusstrengthtoputupwithagooddeal。YetLouisislovable；histemperiswonderfullyeven，andheperforms，asamatterofcourse，actsonwhichmostmenwouldplumethemselves。Inshort，ifIdonotlovehim，Ishallfindnodifficultyinbeinggoodtohim。
　　Soherearemyblackhairandmyblackeyes——whoselashesact，accordingtoyou，likeVenetianblinds——mycommandingair，andmywholeperson，raisedtotherankofsovereignpower!Tenyearshence，dear，whyshouldwenotbothbelaughingandgayinyourParis，whenceIshallcarryyouoffnowandagaintomybeautifuloasisinProvence？
　　Oh!Louise，don’tspoilthesplendidfuturewhichawaitsusboth!
　　Don’tdothemadthingswithwhichyouthreatenme。Myhusbandisayoungman，prematurelyold；whydon’tyoumarrysomeyoung-heartedgraybeardintheChamberofPeers？Thereliesyourvocation。
　　THEDUCDESORIATOTHEBARONDEMACUMER
　　MADRID。
　　MYDEARBROTHER，——YoudidnotmakemeDucdeSoriainorderthatmyactionsshouldbeliethename。HowcouldItoleratemyhappinessifI
　　knewyoutobeawanderer，deprivedofthecomfortswhichwealtheverywherecommands？NeitherMarienorIwillconsenttomarrytillwehearthatyouhaveacceptedthemoneywhichUrracawillhandovertoyou。ThesetwomillionsarethefruitofyourownsavingsandMarie’s。
　　Wehavebothprayed，kneelingbeforethesamealtar——andwithwhatearnestness，Godknows!——foryourhappiness。Mydearbrother，itcannotbethattheseprayerswillremainunanswered。Heavenwillsendyouthelovewhichyouseek，tobetheconsolationofyourexile。
　　Mariereadyourletterwithtears，andisfullofadmirationforyou。
　　Asforme，Iconsent，notformyownsake，butforthatofthefamily。
　　TheKingjustifiedyourexpectations。Oh!thatImightavengeyoubylettinghimseehimself，dwarfedbeforethescornwithwhichyouflunghimhistoy，asyoumighttossatigeritsfood。
　　TheonlythingIhavetakenformyself，dearbrother，ismyhappiness。
　　IhavetakenMarie。ForthisIshallalwaysbebeholdentoyou，asthecreaturetotheCreator。TherewillbeinmylifeandinMarie’sonedaynotlessgloriousthanourweddingday——itwillbethedaywhenwehearthatyourhearthasfounditsmate，thatawomanlovesyouasyououghttobe，andwouldbe，loved。Donotforgetthatifyouliveforus，wealsoliveforyou。
　　YoucanwritetouswithperfectconfidenceundercovertotheNuncio，sendingyourletters/via/Rome。TheFrenchambassadoratRomewill，nodoubt，undertaketoforwardthemtoMonsignoreBemboni，attheStateSecretary’soffice，whomourlegatewillhaveadvised。Nootherwaywouldbesafe。Farewell，dearexile，deardespoiledone。Beproudatleastofthehappinesswhichyouhavebroughttous，ifyoucannotbehappyinit。Godwilldoubtlesshearourprayers，whicharefullofyourname。
　　LOUISEDECHAULIEUTOMME。DEL’ESTORADE
　　March。
　　Ah!mylove，marriageismakingaphilosopherofyou!Yourdarlingfacemust，indeed，havebeenjaundicedwhenyouwrotemethoseterribleviewsofhumanlifeandthedutyofwomen。Doyoufancyyouwillconvertmetomatrimonybyyourprogrammeofsubterraneanlabors？
　　Alas!isthisthentheoutcomeforyouofourtoo-instructeddreams!
　　WeleftBloisallinnocent，armedwiththepointedshaftsofmeditation，and，lo!theweaponsofthatpurelyidealexperiencehaveturnedagainstyourownbreast!IfIdidnotknowyouforthepurestandmostangelicofcreatedbeings，IdeclareIshouldsaythatyourcalculationssmackofvice。What，mydear，intheinterestofyourcountryhome，yousubmityourpleasurestoaperiodicthinning，asyoudoyourtimber。Oh!ratherletmeperishinalltheviolenceoftheheart’sstormsthanliveinthearidatmosphereofyourcautiousarithmetic!
　　Asgirls，wewerebothunusuallyenlightened，becauseofthelargeamountofstudywegavetoourchosensubjects；but，mychild，philosophywithoutlove，ordisguisedunderashamlove，isthemosthideousofconjugalhypocrisies。Ishouldimaginethateventhebiggestoffoolsmightdetectnowandagaintheowlofwisdomsquattinginyourbowerofroses——aghastlyphantomsufficienttoputtoflightthemostpromisingofpassions。Youmakeyourownfate，insteadofwaiting，aplaythinginitshands。
　　Weareeachdevelopinginstrangeways。Alargedoseofphilosophytoagrainofloveisyourrecipe；alargedoseoflovetoagrainofphilosophyismine。Why，Rousseau’sJulie，whomIthoughtsolearned，isamerebeginnertoyou。Woman’svirtue，quotha!Howyouhaveweigheduplife!Alas!Imakefunofyou，and，afterall，perhapsyouareright。
　　Inonedayyouhavemadeaholocaustofyouryouthandbecomeamiserbeforeyourtime。YourLouiswillbehappy，Idaresay。Ifhelovesyou，ofwhichImakenodoubt，hewillneverfindout，that，forthesakeofyourfamily，youareactingasacourtesandoesformoney；andcertainlymenseemtofindhappinesswiththem，judgingbythefortunestheysquanderthus。Akeen-sightedhusbandmightnodoubtremaininlovewithyou，butwhatsortofgratitudecouldhefeelinthelongrunforawomanwhohadmadeofduplicityasortofmoralarmor，asindispensableasherstays？
　　Love，dear，isinmyeyesthefirstprincipleofallthevirtues，conformedtothedivinelikeness。Likeallotherfirstprinciples，itisnotamatterofarithmetic；itistheInfiniteinus。Icannotbutthinkyouhavebeentryingtojustifyinyourowneyesthefrightfulpositionofagirl，marriedtoamanforwhomshefeelsnothingmorethanesteem。Youprateofduty，andmakeityourruleandmeasure；butsurelytotakenecessityasthespringofactionisthemoraltheoryofatheism？Tofollowtheimpulseofloveandfeelingisthesecretlawofeverywoman’sheart。Youareactingaman’spart，andyourLouiswillhavetoplaythewoman!
　　Oh!mydear，yourletterhasplungedmeintoanendlesstrainofthought。Iseenowthattheconventcannevertaketheplaceofmothertoagirl。Ibegofyou，mygrandangelwiththeblackeyes，sopureandproud，soseriousandsopretty，donotturnawayfromthesecries，whichthefirstreadingofyourletterhastornfromme!Ihavetakencomfortinthethoughtthat，whileIwaslamenting，lovewasdoubtlessbusyknockingdownthescaffoldingofreason。
　　ItmaybethatIshalldoworsethanyouwithoutanyreasoningorcalculations。Passionisanelementinlifeboundtohavealogicnotlesspitilessthanyours。
　　Monday。
　　YesterdaynightIplacedmyselfatthewindowasIwasgoingtobed，tolookatthesky，whichwaswonderfullyclear。Thestarswerelikesilvernails，holdingupaveilofblue。InthesilenceofthenightI
　　couldhearsomeonebreathing，andbythehalf-lightofthestarsI
　　sawmySpaniard，perchedlikeasquirrelonthebranchesofoneofthetreesliningtheboulevard，anddoubtlesslostinadmirationofmywindows。
　　Thefirsteffectofthisdiscoverywastomakemewithdrawintotheroom，myfeetandhandsquitelimpandnerveless；but，beneaththefear，Iwasconsciousofadeliciousundercurrentofjoy。Iwasoverpoweredbuthappy。NotoneofthosecleverFrenchmen，whoaspiretomarryme，hashadthebrilliantideaofspendingthenightinanelm-treeattheriskofbeingcarriedoffbythewatch。MySpaniardhas，nodoubt，beenthereforsometime。Ah!hewon’tgivemeanymorelessons，hewantstoreceivethem——well，heshallhaveone。IfonlyheknewwhatIsaidtomyselfabouthissuperficialugliness!Otherscanphilosophizebesidesyou，Renee!Itwashorrid，Iargued，tofallinlovewithahandsomeman。Isitnotpracticallyavowingthatthesensescountforthreepartsoutoffourinapassionwhichoughttobesuper-sensual？
　　Havinggotovermyfirstalarm，Icranedmyneckbehindthewindowinordertoseehimagain——andwellwasIrewarded!Bymeansofahollowcaneheblewmeinthroughthewindowaletter，cunninglyrolledroundaleadenpellet。
　　GoodHeavens!willhesupposeIleftthewindowopenonpurpose？
　　Butwhatwastobedone？Toshutitsuddenlywouldbetomakeoneselfanaccomplice。
　　Ididbetter。IreturnedtomywindowasthoughIhadseennothingandheardnothingoftheletter，thenIsaidaloud：
　　“Comeandlookatthestars，Griffith。“
　　Griffithwassleepingasonlyoldmaidscan。ButtheMoor，hearingme，sliddown，andvanishedwithghostlyrapidity。
　　Hemusthavebeendyingoffright，andsowasI，forIdidnothearhimgoaway；apparentlyheremainedatthefootoftheelm。Afteragoodquarterofanhour，duringwhichIlostmyselfincontemplationoftheheavens，andbattledwiththewavesofcuriosity，Iclosedmywidowandsatdownonthebedtounfoldthedelicatebitofpaper，withthetendertouchofaworkeramongsttheancientmanuscriptsatNaples。Itfeltredhottomyfingers。“Whatahorriblepowerthismanhasoverme!“Isaidtomyself。
　　AllatonceIheldoutthepapertothecandle——Iwouldburnitwithoutreadingaword。Thenathoughtstayedme，“Whatcanhehavetosaythathewritessosecretly？“Well，dear，I/did/burnit，reflectingthat，thoughanyothergirlintheworldwouldhavedevouredtheletter，itwasnotfittingthatI——Armande-Louise-MariedeChaulieu——shouldreadit。
　　Thenextday，attheItalianopera，hewasathispost。ButIfeelsurethat，ex-primeministerofaconstitutionalgovernmentthoughheis，hecouldnotdiscovertheslightestagitationofmindinanymovementofmine。Imighthaveseennothingandreceivednothingtheeveningbefore。Thiswasmostsatisfactorytome，buthelookedverysad。Poorman!inSpainitissonaturalforlovetocomeinatthewindow!
　　Duringtheinterval，itseems，hecameandwalkedinthepassages。
　　ThisIlearnedfromthechiefsecretaryoftheSpanishembassy，whoalsotoldthestoryofanobleactionofhis。
　　AsDucdeSoriahewastomarryoneoftherichestheiressesinSpain，theyoungprincessMarieHeredia，whosewealthwouldhavemitigatedthebitternessofexile。ButitseemsthatMarie，disappointingthewishesofthefathers，whohadbetrothedthemintheirearliestchildhood，lovedtheyoungersonofthehouseofSoria，towhommyFelipe，gaveherup。AllowinghimselftobedespoiledbytheKingofSpain。
　　“Hewouldperformthispieceofheroismquitesimply，“Isaidtotheyoungman。
　　“Youknowhimthen？“washisingenuousreply。
　　Mymothersmiled。
　　“Whatwillbecomeofhim，forheiscondemnedtodeath？“Iasked。
　　“ThoughdeadtoSpain，hecanliveinSardinia。“
　　“Ah!thenSpainisthecountryoftombsaswellascastles？“Isaid，tryingtocarryitoffasajoke。
　　“ThereiseverythinginSpain，evenSpaniardsoftheoldschool，“mymotherreplied。
　　“TheBarondeMacumerobtainedapassport，notwithoutdifficulty，fromtheKingofSardinia，“theyoungdiplomatistwenton。“HehasnowbecomeaSardiniansubject，andhepossessesamagnificentestateintheislandwithfullfeudalrights。HehasapalaceatSassari。IfFerdinandVII。weretodie，Macumerwouldprobablygoinfordiplomacy，andtheCourtofTurinwouldmakehimambassador。Thoughyoung，heis-