the muse of the department-第45章

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hulks　of　justice；　but　it　also　beat　with　a　very　natural　fire　at　seeing
Dinah　rejuvenescent　and　restored　by　wealth。

Madame　de　la　Baudraye；　stealing　an　examining　glance　at　Etienne；　saw
that　his　expression　was　in　harmony　with　the　flowers　of　love；　which；　as
she　thought；　had　blossomed　again　in　that　throbbing　heart；　she　tried　to
look　once　into　the　eyes　of　the　man　she　had　loved　so　well；　but　the
seething　blood　rushed　through　her　veins　and　mounted　to　her　brain。
Their　eyes　met　with　the　same　fiery　glow　as　had　encouraged　Lousteau　on
the　Quay　by　the　Loire　to　crumple　Dinah's　muslin　gown。　The　Bohemian　put
his　arm　round　her　waist；　she　yielded；　and　their　cheeks　were　touching。

〃Here　comes　my　mother；　hide！〃　cried　Dinah　in　alarm。　And　she　hurried
forward　to　intercept　Madame　Piedefer。

〃Mamma；〃　said　shethis　word　was　to　the　stern　old　lady　a　coaxing
expression　which　never　failed　of　its　effect〃will　you　do　me　a　great
favor？　Take　the　carriage　and　go　yourself　to　my　banker；　Monsieur
Mongenod；　with　a　note　I　will　give　you；　and　bring　back　six　thousand
francs。　Come；　comeit　is　an　act　of　charity；　come　into　my　room。〃

And　she　dragged　away　her　mother；　who　seemed　very　anxious　to　see　who　it
was　that　her　daughter　had　been　talking　with　in　the　boudoir。

Two　days　afterwards；　Madame　Piedefer　held　a　conference　with　the　cure
of　the　parish。　After　listening　to　the　lamentations　of　the　old　mother；
who　was　in　despair；　the　priest　said　very　gravely：

〃Any　moral　regeneration　which　is　not　based　on　a　strong　religious
sentiment；　and　carried　out　in　the　bosom　of　the　Church；　is　built　on
sand。The　many　means　of　grace　enjoined　by　the　Catholic　religion；
small　as　they　are；　and　not　understood；　are　so　many　dams　necessary　to
restrain　the　violence　of　evil　promptings。　Persuade　your　daughter　to
perform　all　her　religious　duties；　and　we　shall　save　her　yet。〃

Within　ten　days　of　this　meeting　the　Hotel　de　la　Baudraye　was　shut　up。
The　Countess；　the　children；　and　her　mother；　in　short；　the　whole
household；　including　a　tutor；　had　gone　away　to　Sancerre；　where　Dinah
intended　to　spend　the　summer。　She　was　everything　that　was　nice　to　the
Count；　people　said。

And　so　the　Muse　of　Sancerre　had　simply　come　back　to　family　and　married
life；　but　certain　evil　tongues　declared　that　she　had　been　compelled　to
come　back；　for　that　the　little　peer's　wishes　would　no　doubt　be
fulfilledhe　hoped　for　a　little　girl。

Gatien　and　Monsieur　Gravier　lavished　every　care；　every　servile
attention　on　the　handsome　Countess。　Gatien；　who　during　Madame　de　la
Baudraye's　long　absence　had　been　to　Paris　to　learn　the　art　of
/lionnerie/　or　dandyism；　was　supposed　to　have　a　good　chance　of　finding
favor　in　the　eyes　of　the　disenchanted　〃Superior　Woman。〃　Others　bet　on
the　tutor；　Madame　Piedefer　urged　the　claims　of　religion。

In　1844；　about　the　middle　of　June；　as　the　Comte　de　la　Baudraye　was
taking　a　walk　on　the　Mall　at　Sancerre　with　the　two　fine　little　boys；
he　met　Monsieur　Milaud；　the　Public　Prosecutor；　who　was　at　Sancerre　on
business；　and　said　to　him：

〃These　are　my　children；　cousin。〃

〃Ah；　ha！　so　these　are　our　children！〃　replied　the　lawyer；　with　a
mischievous　twinkle。



PARIS；　June　1843…August　1844。









End