bout it。
〃I know； madame；〃 he said； 〃all that you can possibly tell me about my unfaithful friend。 I do not forgive； but I forget my wrong。 Things having so come about that I have nearly lost my life for his sake； it would certainly be very illogical to keep a grudge against him。 Still； as regards that mausoleum at Ville d'Avray； nothing would induce me to undertake it。 I have already mentioned to Monsieur de l'Estorade one hindrance that is daily growing more imperative； but besides that； I think it a great pity that Marie…Gaston should thus ruminate on his grief； and I have written to tell him so。 He ought to be more of a man； and find in study and in work the consolations we can always find there。〃
The object of our visit being thus disposed of； I saw no hope of getting to the bottom of the other mystery it had opened； so I rose to take leave； and as I did so Monsieur Dorlange said to me：
〃May I hope that you will not exact the injury I spoke of to my statue？〃
〃It is for my husband and not for me to reply to that question；〃 I said； 〃however； we can talk of it later； for Monsieur de l'Estorade hopes that you will give us the honor of a visit。〃
Monsieur bowed in respectful acquiescence； and we came away；I； in great ill…humor； I was angry with Nais； and also with my husband； and felt much inclined to make him a scene； which he would certainly not have understood。
Now what do you think of all this？ Is the man a clever swindler； who invented that fable for some purpose； or is he really an artist； who took me in all simplicity of soul for the living realization of his idea？ That is what I intend to find out in the course of a few days； for now I am committed to your programme； and to…morrow Monsieur and Madame de l'Estorade will have the honor of inviting Monsieur Dorlange to dinner。
VII
THE COMTESSE DE L'ESTORADE TO MADAME OCTAVE DE CAMPS
Paris； March； 1839。
My dear friend；Monsieur Dorlange dined with us yesterday。 My intention was to invite him alone to a formal family dinner； so as to have him more completely under my eye； and put him to the question at my ease。 But Monsieur de l'Estorade； to whom I had not explained my charitable motives； showed me that such an invitation might wound the sensibilities of our guest； it might seem to him that the Comte de l'Estorade thought the sculptor Dorlange unfitted for the society of his friends。
〃We can't；〃 said my husband gaily； 〃treat him like the sons of our farmers who come here with the epaulet of a lieutenant on their shoulder； and whom we invite with closed doors because we can't send them to the servants' hall。〃
We therefore invited to meet him Monsieur Joseph Bridau； the painter； the Chevalier d'Espard； Monsieur and Madame de la Bastie （formerly； you remember； Mademoiselle Modeste Mignon） and the Marquis de Ronquerolles。 When my husband invited the latter； he asked him if he had any objection to meeting the adversary of the Duc de Rhetore。
〃So far from objecting；〃 replied Monsieur de Ronquerolles； 〃I am glad of the opportunity to meet a man of talent； who in the affair you speak of behaved admirably。〃 And he added； after my husband had told him of our great obligation to Monsieur Dorlange； 〃Then he is a true hero； your sculptor！ if he goes on this way； we can't hold a candle to him。〃
In his studio； with a bare throat leaving his head； which is rather too large for his body； free； and dressed in a sort of Oriental costume； Monsieur Dorlange looked to me a great deal better than he does in regular evening dress。 Though I must say that when he grows animated in speaking his face lights up； a sort of a magnetic essence flows from his eyes which I had already noticed in our preceding encounters。 Madame de la Bastie was as much struck as I was by this peculiarity。
I don't know if I told you that the ambition of Monsieur Dorlange is to be returned to the Chamber at the coming elections。 This was the reason he gave for declining Monsieur Gaston's commission。 What Monsieur de l'Estorade and I thought； at first； to be a mere excuse was an actual reason。 At table when Monsieur Joseph Bridau asked him point…blank what belief was to be given to the report of his parliamentary intentions； Monsieur Dorlange formally announced them； from that moment； throughout the dinner； the talk was exclusively on politics。
When it comes to topics foreign to his studies； I expected to find our artist； if not a novice； at least very slightly informed。 Not at all。 On men； on things； on the past as on the future of parties； he had very clear and really novel views； which were evidently not borrowed from the newspapers； and he put them forth in lively； easy； and elegant language； so that after his departure Monsieur de Ronquerolles and Monsieur de l'Estorade declared themselves positively surprised at the strong and powerful political attitude he had taken。 This admission was all the more remarkable because； as you know； the two gentlemen are zealous conservatives； whereas Monsieur Dorlange inclines in a marked degree to democratic principles。
This unexpected superiority in my problematical follower reassured me not a little； still； I was resolved to get to the bottom of the situation； and therefore； after dinner I drew him into one of those tete…a…tetes which the mistress of a house can always bring about。
After talking awhile about Monsieur Marie…Gaston； our mutual friend； the enthusiasms of my dear Louise and my efforts to moderate them； I asked him how soon he intended to send his Saint…Ursula to her destination。
〃Everything is ready for her departure；〃 he replied； 〃but I want your /exeat/； madame； will you kindly tell me if you desire me to change her expression？〃
〃One question in the first place；〃 I replied： 〃Will your work suffer by such a change； supposing that I desire it？〃
〃Probably。 If you cut the wings of a bird you hinder its flight。〃
〃Another question： Is it I； or the /other person/ whom the statue best represents？〃
〃You； madame； that goes without saying； for you are the present； she the past。〃
〃But； to desert the past for the present is a bad thing and goes by a bad name； monsieur； and yet you proclaim it with a very easy air。〃
〃True；〃 said Monsieur Dorlange； laughing； 〃but art is ferocious； wherever it sees material for its creations； it pounces upon it desperately。〃
〃Art；〃 I replied； 〃is a great word under which a multitude of things shelter themselves。 The other day you told me that circumstances； too long to relate at that moment； had contributed to fix the image of which I was the reflection in your mind； where it has left a vivid memory； was not that enough to excite my curiosity？〃
〃It was true； madame； that time did not allow of my making an explanation of those circumstances； but； in any case； having the honor of speaking to you for the first time； it would have been strange； would it not； had I ventured to make you any confidences？〃
〃Well； but now？〃 I said； boldly。
〃Now； unless I receive more express encouragement； I am still unable to suppose that anything in my past can interest you。〃
〃Why not？ Some acquaintances ripen fast。 Your devotion to my Nais has advanced our friendship rapidly。 Besides；〃 I added； with affected levity； 〃I am passionately fond of stories。〃
〃But mine has no conclusion to it； it is an enigma even to myself。〃
〃All the better； perhaps between us we might find the key to it。〃
Monsieur Dorlange appeared to take counsel with himself； then； after a short pause he said：
〃It is true that women are admirably fitted to seize the lighter shades of meaning in acts and sentiments which we men are unable to decipher。 But this confidence does not concern myself alone； I should have to request that it remain absolutely between ourselves； not even excepting Monsieur de l'Estorade from this restriction。 A secret is never safe beyond the person who confides it； and the person who hears it。〃
I was much puzzled； as you can well suppose； about what might follow； still； continuing my explorations； I replied：
〃Monsieur de l'Estorade is so little in the habit of hearing everything from me； that he never even read a line of my correspondence with Madame Marie…Gaston。〃
Until then； Monsieur Dorlange had stood before the fireplace； at one corner of which I was seated； but he now took a chair beside me and said； by way of preamble：
〃I mentioned to you； madame； the family of Lanty〃
At that instantprovoking as rain in the midst of a picnicMadame de la Bastie came up to ask me if I had been to see Nathan's last drama。 Monsieur Dorlange was forced to give up his seat beside me； and no further opportunity for renewing the conversation occurred during the evening。
I have really； as you see now； no light upon the matter； and yet when I recall the whole manner and behavior of Monsieur Dorlange； whom I studied carefully； my opinion inclines to his perfect innocence。 Nothing proves that the love I suspected plays any part in this curious affair； and I will allow you to think that I and my terrors； with which I tormented you； were terribly absurd；in short； that I have played the part of Belise in the /Femmes Savantes/； who fancies that every man she sees is fatally in love with her。
I therefor