wore his boots； gilded himself with his rays。 When he posed in Henri's
company or walked at his side； he had the air of saying： 〃Don't insult
us； we are real dogs。〃 He often permitted himself to remark fatuously：
〃If I were to ask Henri for such and such a thing； he is a good enough
friend of mine to do it。〃 But he was careful never to ask anything of
him。 He feared him； and his fear； although imperceptible； reacted upon
the others； and was of use to De Marsay。
〃De Marsay is a man of a thousand；〃 said Paul。 〃Ah； you will see； he
will be what he likes。 I should not be surprised to find him one of
these days Minister of Foreign Affairs。 Nothing can withstand him。〃
He made of De Marsay what Corporal Trim made of his cap； a perpetual
instance。
〃Ask De Marsay and you will see！〃
Or again：
〃The other day we were hunting； De Marsay and I； He would not believe
me； but I jumped a hedge without moving on my horse！〃
Or again：
〃We were with some women； De Marsay and I； and upon my word of honor；
I was〃 etc。
Thus Paul de Manerville could not be classed amongst the great；
illustrious； and powerful family of fools who succeed。 He would one
day be a deputy。 For the time he was not even a young man。 His friend；
De Marsay； defined him thus： 〃You ask me what is Paul？ Paul？ Why； Paul
de Manerville！〃
〃I am surprised； my dear fellow；〃 he said to De Marsay； 〃to see you
here on a Sunday。〃
〃I was going to ask you the same question。〃
〃Is it an intrigue？〃
〃An intrigue。〃
〃Bah！〃
〃I can mention it to you without compromising my passion。 Besides； a
woman who comes to the Tuileries on Sundays is of no account；
aristocratically speaking。〃
〃Ah！ ah！〃
〃Hold your tongue then； or I shall tell you nothing。 Your laugh is too
loud； you will make people think that we have lunched too well。 Last
Thursday； here on the Terrasse des Feuillants； I was walking along；
thinking of nothing at all； but when I got to the gate of the Rue de
Castiglione； by which I intended to leave； I came face to face with a
woman； or rather a young girl； who； if she did not throw herself at my
head； stopped short； less I think； from human respect； than from one
of those movements of profound surprise which affect the limbs； creep
down the length of the spine； and cease only in the sole of the feet；
to nail you to the ground。 I have often produced effects of this
nature； a sort of animal magnetism which becomes enormously powerful
when the relations are reciprocally precise。 But； my dear fellow； this
was not stupefaction； nor was she a common girl。 Morally speaking； her
face seemed to say： 'What； is it you； my ideal！ The creation of my
thoughts； of my morning and evening dreams！ What； are you there？ Why
this morning？ Why not yesterday？ Take me； I am thine； /et cetera/！'
Good； I said to myself； another one！ Then I scrutinize her。 Ah； my
dear fellow； speaking physically； my incognita is the most adorable
feminine person whom I ever met。 She belongs to that feminine variety
which the Romans call /fulva； flava/the woman of fire。 And in chief；
what struck me the most； what I am still taken with； are her two
yellow eyes； like a tiger's； a golden yellow that gleams； living gold；
gold which thinks； gold which loves； and is determined to take refuge
in your pocket。〃
〃My dear fellow； we are full of her！〃 cried Paul。 〃She comes here
sometimes/the girl with the golden eyes/！ That is the name we have
given her。 She is a young creaturenot more than twenty…two； and I
have seen her here in the time of the Bourbons； but with a woman who
was worth a hundred thousand of her。〃
〃Silence； Paul！ It is impossible for any woman to surpass this girl；
she is like the cat who rubs herself against your legs； a white girl
with ash…colored hair； delicate in appearance； but who must have downy
threads on the third phalanx of her fingers； and all along her cheeks
a white down whose line； luminous on fine days； begins at her ears and
loses itself on her neck。〃
〃Ah； the other； my dear De Marsay！ She has black eyes which have never
wept； but which burn； black eyebrows which meet and give her an air of
hardness contradicted by the compact curve of her lips； on which the
kisses do not stay； lips burning and fresh； a Moorish color that warms
a man like the sun。 Butupon my word of honor； she is like you！〃
〃You flatter her！〃
〃A firm figure； the tapering figure of a corvette built for speed；
which rushes down upon the merchant vessel with French impetuosity；
which grapples with her and sinks her at the same time。〃
〃After all； my dear fellow；〃 answered De Marsay； 〃what has that got to
do with me； since I have never seen her？ Ever since I have studied
women； my incognita is the only one whose virginal bosom； whose ardent
and voluptuous forms； have realized for me the only woman of my dreams
of my dreams！ She is the original of that ravishing picture called
/La Femme Caressant sa Chimere/； the warmest； the most infernal
inspiration of the genius of antiquity； a holy poem prostituted by
those who have copied it for frescoes and mosiacs； for a heap of
bourgeois who see in this gem nothing more than a gew…gaw and hang it
on their watch…chainswhereas； it is the whole woman； an abyss of
pleasure into which one plunges and finds no end； whereas； it is the
ideal woman； to be seen sometimes in reality in Spain or Italy； almost
never in France。 Well； I have again seen this girl of the gold eyes；
this woman caressing her chimera。 I saw her on Friday。 I had a
presentiment that on the following day she would be here at the same
hour； I was not mistaken。 I have taken a pleasure in following her
without being observed； in studying her indolent walk； the walk of the
woman without occupation； but in the movements of which one devines
all the pleasure that lies asleep。 Well； she turned back again； she
saw me； once more she adored me； once more trembled； shivered。 It was
then I noticed the genuine Spanish duenna who looked after her； a
hyena upon whom some jealous man has put a dress； a she…devil well
paid； no doubt； to guard this delicious creature。 。 。 。 Ah； then the
duenna made me deeper in love。 I grew curious。 On Saturday； nobody。
And here I am to…day waiting for this girl whose chimera I am； asking
nothing better than to pose as the monster in the fresco。〃
〃There she is；〃 said Paul。 〃Every one is turning round to look at
her。〃
The unknown blushed； her eyes shone； she saw Henri； she shut them and
passed by。
〃You say that she notices you？〃 cried Paul； facetiously。
The duenna looked fixedly and attentively at the two young men。 When
the unknown and Henri passed each other again； the young girl touched
him； and with her hand pressed the hand of the young man。 Then she
turned her head and smiled with passion； but the duenna led her away
very quickly to the gate of the Rue de Castiglione。
The two friends followed the young girl； admiring the magnificent
grace of the neck which met her head in a harmony of vigorous lines；
and upon which a few coils of hair were tightly wound。 The girl with
the golden eyes had that well…knitted； arched； slender foot which
presents so many attractions to the dainty imagination。 Moreover； she
was shod with elegance； and wore a short skirt。 During her course she
turned from time to time to look at Henri； and appeared to follow the
old woman regretfully； seeming to be at once her mistress and her
slave； she could break her with blows； but could not dismiss her。 All
that was perceptible。 The two friends reached the gate。 Two men in
livery let down the step of a tasteful /coupe/ emblazoned with
armorial bearings。 The girl with the golden eyes was the first to
enter it； took her seat at the side where she could be best seen when
the carriage turned； put her hand on the door； and waved her
handkerchief in the duennna's despite。 In contempt of what might be
said by the curious； her handkerchief cried to Henri openly： 〃Follow
me！〃
〃Have you ever seen a handkerchief better thrown？〃 said Henri to Paul
de Manerville。
Then； observing a fiacre on the point of departure； having just set
down a fare； he made a sign to the driver to wait。
〃Follow that carriage； notice the house and the street where it stops
you shall have ten francs。 。 。 。 Paul； adieu。〃
The cab followed the /coupe/。 The /coupe/ stopped in the Rue Saint
Lazare before one of the finest houses of the neighborhood。
De Marsay was not impulsive。 Any other young man would have obeyed his
impulse to obtain at once some information about a girl who realized
so fully the most luminous ideas ever expressed upon women in the
poetry of the East； but； too experienced to compromise his good
fortune； he had told his coachman to continue along the Rue Saint
Lazare and carry him back to his house。 The next day； his confidential
valet； Laurent by name； as cunning a fellow as the Frontin of the old
comedy； waited in the vicinity of the house inhabited by the unknown
for the hour at which letters were distributed。 In order to be able to
spy at his ease and hang about the house； he had followed the example
of those police officers who seek a good disguise； and bought up cast…
off clothes of an Auvergn