letters of two brides-第49章

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about　six　hundred　thousand　francs；　which　will　provide　portions　for　my
daughter　and　for　Rene；　whom　I　destine　for　the　navy。　The　poor　little
chap　will　have　an　income　of　ten　thousand　livres；　and　perhaps　we　may
contrive　to　leave　him　in　cash　enough　to　bring　his　portion　up　to　the
amount　of　his　sister's。

When　he　is　Captain；　my　beggar　will　be　able　to　make　a　wealthy　marriage；
and　take　a　position　in　society　as　good　as　his　elder　brother's。

These　considerations　of　prudence　determined　the　acceptance　in　our
family　of　the　new　order　of　things。　The　new　dynasty；　as　was　natural；
raised　Louis　to　the　Peerage　and　made　him　a　grand　officer　of　the　Legion
of　Honor。　The　oath　once　taken；　l'Estorade　could　not　be　half…hearted　in
his　services；　and　he　has　since　then　made　himself　very　useful　in　the
Chamber。　The　position　he　has　now　attained　is　one　in　which　he　can　rest
upon　his　oars　till　the　end　of　his　days。　He　has　a　good　deal　of
adroitness　in　business　matters；　and　though　he　can　hardly　be　called　an
orator；　speaks　pleasantly　and　fluently；　which　is　all　that　is　necessary
in　politics。　His　shrewdness　and　the　extent　of　his　information　in　all
matters　of　government　and　administration　are　fully　appreciated；　and
all　parties　consider　him　indispensable。　I　may　tell　you　that　he　was
recently　offered　an　embassy；　but　I　would　not　let　him　accept　it。　I　am
tied　to　Paris　by　the　education　of　Armand　and　Athenaiswho　are　now
respectively　thirteen　and　nearly　elevenand　I　don't　intend　leaving
till　little　Rene　has　completed　his；　which　is　just　beginning。

We　could　not　have　remained　faithful　to　the　elder　branch　of　the　dynasty
and　returned　to　our　country　life　without　allowing　the　education　and
prospects　of　the　three　children　to　suffer。　A　mother；　my　sweet；　is
hardly　called　on　to　be　a　Decius；　especially　at　a　time　when　the　type　is
rare。　In　fifteen　years　from　now；　l'Estorade　will　be　able　to　retire　to
La　Crampade　on　a　good　pension；　having　found　a　place　as　referendary　for
Armand　in　the　Audit　Department。

As　for　Rene；　the　navy　will　doubtless　make　a　diplomatist　of　him。　The
little　rogue；　at　seven　years　old；　has　all　the　cunning　of　an　old
Cardinal。

Oh！　Louise；　I　am　indeed　a　happy　mother。　My　children　are　an　endless
source　of　joy　to　me。

　　Senza　brama　sicura　ricchezza。

Armand　is　a　day　scholar　at　Henry　IV。's　school。　I　made　up　my　mind　he
should　have　a　public…school　training；　yet　could　not　reconcile　myself
to　the　thought　of　parting　with　him；　so　I　compromised；　as　the　Duc
d'Orleans　did　before　he　becameor　in　order　that　he　might　become
Louis　Philippe。　Every　morning　Lucas；　the　old　servant　whom　you　will
remember；　takes　Armand　to　school　in　time　for　the　first　lesson；　and
brings　him　home　again　at　half…past　four。　In　the　house　we　have　a
private　tutor；　an　admirable　scholar；　who　helps　Armand　with　his　work　in
the　evenings；　and　calls　him　in　the　morning　at　the　school　hour。　Lucas
takes　him　some　lunch　during　the　play　hour　at　midday。　In　this　way　I　am
with　my　boy　at　dinner　and　until　he　goes　to　bed　at　night；　and　I　see　him
off　in　the　morning。

Armand　is　the　same　charming　little　fellow；　full　of　feeling　and
unselfish　impulse；　whom　you　loved；　and　his　tutor　is　quite　pleased　with
him。　I　still　have　Nais　and　the　babytwo　restless　little　mortalsbut
I　am　quite　as　much　a　child　as　they　are。　I　could　not　bring　myself　to
lose　the　darlings'　sweet　caresses。　I　could　not　live　without　the
feeling　that　at　any　moment　I　can　fly　to　Armand's　bedside　and　watch　his
slumbers　or　snatch　a　kiss。

Yet　home　education　is　not　without　its　drawbacks；　to　which　I　am　fully
alive。　Society；　like　nature；　is　a　jealous　power；　and　will　have　not　her
rights　encroached　on；　or　her　system　set　at　naught。　Thus；　children　who
are　brought　up　at　home　are　exposed　too　early　to　the　fire　of　the　world；
they　see　its　passions　and　become　at　home　with　its　subterfuges。　The
finer　distinctions；　which　regulate　the　conduct　of　matured　men　and
women；　elude　their　perceptions；　and　they　take　feeling　and　passion　for
their　guide　instead　of　subordinating　those　to　the　code　of　society；
whilst　the　gay　trappings　and　tinsel　which　attract　so　much　of　the
world's　favor　blind　them　to　the　importance　of　the　more　sober　virtues。
A　child　of　fifteen　with　the　assurance　of　a　man　of　the　world　is　a　thing
against　all　nature；　at　twenty…five　he　will　be　prematurely　old；　and　his
precocious　knowledge　only　unfits　him　for　the　genuine　study　on　which
all　solid　ability　must　rest。　Life　in　society　is　one　long　comedy；　and
those　who　take　part　in　it；　like　other　actors；　reflect　back　impressions
which　never　penetrate　below　the　surface。　A　mother；　therefore；　who
wishes　not　to　part　from　her　children；　must　resolutely　determine　that
they　shall　not　enter　the　gay　world；　she　must　have　courage　to　resist
their　inclinations；　as　well　as　her　own；　and　keep　them　in　the
background。　Cornelia　had　to　keep　her　jewels　under　lock　and　key。　Shall
I　do　less　for　the　children　who　are　all　the　world　to　me？

Now　that　I　am　thirty；　the　heat　of　the　day　is　over；　the　hardest　bit　of
the　road　lies　behind　me。　In　a　few　years　I　shall　be　an　old　woman；　and
the　sense　of　duty　done　is　an　immense　encouragement。　It　would　almost
seem　as　though　my　trio　can　read　my　thoughts　and　shape　themselves
accordingly。　A　mysterious　bond　of　sympathy　unites　me　to　these　children
who　have　never　left　my　side。　If　they　knew　the　blank　in　my　life　which
they　have　to　fill；　they　could　not　be　more　lavish　of　the　solace　they
bring。

Armand；　who　was　dull　and　dreamy　during　his　first　three　years　at
school；　and　caused　me　some　uneasiness；　has　made　a　sudden　start。
Doubtless　he　realized；　in　a　way　most　children　never　do；　the　aim　of　all
this　preparatory　work；　which　is　to　sharpen　the　intelligence；　to　get
them　into　habits　of　application　and　accustom　them　to　that　fundamental
principle　of　all　societyobedience。　My　dear；　a　few　days　ago　I　had　the
proud　joy　of　seeing　Armand　crowned　at　the　great　interscholastic
competition　in　the　crowded　Sorbonne；　when　your　godson　received　the
first　prize　for　translation。　At　the　school　distribution　he　got　two
first　prizesone　for　verse；　and　one　for　an　essay。　I　went　quite　white
when　his　name　was　called　out；　and　longed　to　shout　aloud；　〃I　am　his
mother！〃　Little　Nais　squeezed　my　hand　till　it　hurt；　if　at　such　a
moment　it　were　possible　to　feel　pain。　Ah！　Louise；　a　day　like　this
might　outweigh　many　a　dream　of　love！

His　brother's　triumphs　have　spurred　on　little　Rene；　who　wants　to　go　to
school　too。　Sometimes　the　three　children　make　such　a　racket；　shouting
and　rushing　about　the　house；　that　I　wonder　how　my　head　stands　it。　I　am
always　with　them；　no　one　else；　not　even　Mary；　is　allowed　to　take　care
of　my　children。　But　the　calling　of　a　mother；　if　taxing；　has　so　many
compensating　joys！　To　see　a　child　leave　its　play　and　run　to　hug　one；
out　of　the　fulness　of　its　heart；　what　could　be　sweeter？

Then　it　is　only　in　being　constantly　with　them　that　one　can　study　their
characters。　It　is　the　duty　of　a　mother；　and　one　which　she　can　depute
to　no　hired　teacher；　to　decipher　the　tastes；　temper；　and　natural
aptitudes　of　her　children　from　their　infancy。　All　home…bred　children
are　distinguished　by　ease　of　manner　and　tact；　two　acquired　qualities
which　may　go　far　to　supply　the　lack　of　natural　ability；　whereas　no
natural　ability　can　atone　for　the　loss　of　this　early　training。　I　have
already　learned　to　discriminate　this　difference　of　tone　in　the　men
whom　I　meet　in　society；　and　to　trace　the　hand　of　a　woman　in　the
formation　of　a　young　man's　manners。　How　could　any　woman　defraud　her
children　of　such　a　possession？　You　see　what　rewards　attend　the
performance　of　my　tasks！

Armand；　I　feel　certain；　will　make　an　admirable　judge；　the　most　upright
of　public　servants；　the　most　devoted　of　deputies。　And　where　would　you
find　a　sailor　bolder；　more　adventurous；　more　astute　than　my　Rene　will
be　a　few　years　hence？　The　little　rascal　has　already　an　iron　will；
whatever　he　wants　he　manages　to　get；　he　will　try　a　thousand　circuitous
ways　to　reach　his　end；　and　if　not　successful　then；　will　devise　a
thousand　and　first。　Where　dear　Armand　quietly　resigns　himself　and
tries　to　get　at　the　reason　of　things；　Rene　will　storm；　and　strive；　and
puzzle；　chattering　all　the　time；　till　at　last　he　finds　some　chink　in
the　obstacle；　if　there　is　room　for　the