daughter's solicitude； the spectre in human attire； who had driven us
from the music…room； as she led him； she watched with some anxiety the
slow movement of his feeble feet。 They walked painfully across the
boudoir to a door hidden in the hangings。 Marianina knocked softly。
Instantly a tall； thin man； a sort of familiar spirit； appeared as if
by magic。 Before entrusting the old man to this mysterious guardian；
the lovely child； with deep veneration； kissed the ambulatory corpse；
and her chaste caress was not without a touch of that graceful
playfulness； the secret of which only a few privileged women possess。
〃/Addio； addio！/〃 she said； with the sweetest inflection of her young
voice。
She added to the last syllable a wonderfully executed trill； in a very
low tone； as if to depict the overflowing affection of her heart by a
poetic expression。 The old man； suddenly arrested by some memory；
remained on the threshold of that secret retreat。 In the profound
silence we heard the sigh that came forth form his breast； he removed
the most beautiful of the rings with which his skeleton fingers were
laden； and placed it in Marianina's bosom。 The young madcap laughed；
plucked out the ring； slipped it on one of her fingers over her glove；
and ran hastily back toward the salon； where the orchestra were； at
that moment； beginning the prelude of a contra…dance。
She spied us。
〃Ah！ were you here？〃 she said； blushing。
After a searching glance at us as if to question us； she ran away to
her partner with the careless petulance of her years。
〃What does this mean？〃 queried my young partner。 〃Is he her husband？ I
believe I am dreaming。 Where am I？〃
〃You！〃 I retorted； 〃you； madame； who are easily excited； and who；
understanding so well the most imperceptible emotions； are able to
cultivate in a man's heart the most delicate of sentiments； without
crushing it； without shattering it at the very outset； you who have
compassion for the tortures of the heart； and who； with the wit of the
Parisian； combine a passionate temperament worthy of Spain or
Italy〃
She realized that my words were heavily charged with bitter irony；
and； thereupon； without seeming to notice it； she interrupted me to
say：
〃Oh！ you describe me to suit your own taste。 A strange kind of
tyranny！ You wish me not to be /myself/！〃
〃Oh！ I wish nothing；〃 I cried； alarmed by the severity of her manner。
〃At all events； it is true； is it not； that you like to hear stories
of the fierce passions； kindled in our heart by the enchanting women
of the South？〃
〃Yes。 And then？〃
〃Why； I will come to your house about nine o'clock to…morrow evening；
and elucidate this mystery for you。〃
〃No；〃 she replied； with a pout； 〃I wish it done now。〃
〃You have not yet given me the right to obey you when you say； 'I wish
it。' 〃
〃At this moment；〃 she said； with an exhibition of coquetry of the sort
that drives men to despair； 〃I have a most violent desire to know this
secret。 To…morrow it may be that I will not listen to you。〃
She smiled and we parted； she still as proud and as cruel； I as
ridiculous； as ever。 She had the audacity to waltz with a young aide…
de…camp； and I was by turns angry； sulky； admiring； loving； and
jealous。
〃Until to…morrow；〃 she said to me； as she left the ball about two
o'clock in the morning。
〃I won't go；〃 I thought。 〃I give up。 You are a thousand times more
capricious； more fanciful； thanmy imagination。〃
The next evening we were seated in front of a bright fire in a dainty
little salon； she on a couch； I on cushions almost at her feet；
looking up into her face。 The street was silent。 The lamp shed a soft
light。 It was one of those evenings which delight the soul； one of
those moments which are never forgotten； one of those hours passed in
peace and longing； whose charm is always in later years a source of
regret； even when we are happier。 What can efface the deep imprint of
the first solicitations of love？
〃Go on；〃 she said。 〃I am listening。〃
〃But I dare not begin。 There are passages in the story which are
dangerous to the narrator。 If I become excited； you will make me hold
my peace。〃
〃Speak。〃
〃I obey。
〃Ernest…Jean Sarrasine was the only son of a prosecuting attorney of
Franche…Comte；〃 I began after a pause。 〃His father had； by faithful
work； amassed a fortune which yielded an income of six to eight
thousand francs； then considered a colossal fortune for an attorney in
the provinces。 Old Maitre Sarrasine； having but one child； determined
to give him a thorough education； he hoped to make a magistrate of
him； and to live long enough to see； in his old age； the grandson of
Mathieu Sarrasine； a ploughman in the Saint…Die country； seated on the
lilies； and dozing through the sessions for the greater glory of the
Parliament； but Heaven had not that joy in store for the attorney。
Young Sarrasine； entrusted to the care of the Jesuits at an early age；
gave indications of an extraordinarily unruly disposition。 His was the
childhood of a man of talent。 He would not study except as his
inclination led him； often rebelled； and sometimes remained for whole
hours at a time buried in tangled meditations； engaged now in watching
his comrades at play； now in forming mental pictures of Homer's
heroes。 And； when he did choose to amuse himself； he displayed
extraordinary ardor in his games。 Whenever there was a contest of any
sort between a comrade and himself； it rarely ended without bloodshed。
If he were the weaker； he would use his teeth。 Active and passive by
turns； either lacking in aptitude； or too intelligent； his abnormal
temperament caused him to distrust his masters as much as his
schoolmates。 Instead of learning the elements of the Greek language；
he drew a picture of the reverend father who was interpreting a
passage of Thucydides； sketched the teacher of mathematics； the
prefect； the assistants； the man who administered punishment； and
smeared all the walls with shapeless figures。 Instead of singing the
praises of the Lord in the chapel； he amused himself； during the
services； by notching a bench； or； when he had stolen a piece of wood；
he would carve the figure of some saint。 If he had no wood or stone or
pencil； he worked out his ideas with bread。 Whether he copied the
figures in the pictures which adorned the choir； or improvised； he
always left at this seat rough sketches； whose obscene character drove
the young fathers to despair； and the evil…tongued alleged that the
Jesuits smiled at them。 At last； if we are to believe college
traditions； he was expelled because； while awaiting his turn to go to
the confessional one Good Friday； he carved a figure of the Christ
from a stick of wood。 The impiety evidenced by that figure was too
flagrant not to draw down chastisement on the artist。 He had actually
had the hardihood to place that decidedly cynical image on the top of
the tabernacle！
〃Sarrasine came to Paris to seek a refuge against the threats of a
father's malediction。 Having one of those strong wills which know no
obstacles； he obeyed the behests of his genius and entered
Bouchardon's studio。 He worked all day and went about at night begging
for subsistence。 Bouchardon； marveling at the young artist's
intelligence and rapid progress； soon divined his pupil's destitute
condition； he assisted him； became attached to him； and treated him
like his own child。 Then； when Sarrasine's genius stood revealed in
one of those works wherein future talent contends with the
effervescence of youth； the generous Bouchardon tried to restore him
to the old attorney's good graces。 The paternal wrath subsided in face
of the famous sculptor's authority。 All Besancon congratulated itself
on having brought forth a future great man。 In the first outburst of
delight due to his flattered vanity； the miserly attorney supplied his
son with the means to appear to advantage in society。 The long and
laborious study demanded by the sculptor's profession subdued for a
long time Sarrasine's impetuous temperament and unruly genius。
Bouchardon； foreseeing how violently the passions would some day rage
in that youthful heart； as highly tempered perhaps as Michelangelo's；
smothered its vehemence with constant toil。 He succeeded in
restraining within reasonable bounds Sarrasine's extraordinary
impetuosity； by forbidding him to work； by proposing diversions when
he saw that he was on the point of plunging into dissipation。 But with
that passionate nature； gentleness was always the most powerful of all
weapons； and the master did not acquire great influence over his pupil
until he had aroused his gratitude by fatherly kindness。
〃At the age of twenty…two Sarrasine was forcibly removed from the
salutary influence which Bouchardon exercised over his morals and his
habits。 He paid the penalty of his genius by winning the prize for
sculpture founded by the Marquis de Marigny； Madame de Pompadour's
brother； who did so much for art。 Diderot praised Bouchardon's pupil's
statue as a masterpiece。 Not without profound sorrow did the king's
sculptor witness the departure for Italy of a young man whose profound
ignorance of the things of life he had； as a matter