escape the shot； happy in thus galloping into the abyss of
probabilities； and smoking like Jean Bart upon the gunpowder。
The next day I went to gather flowers and made two bouquets。 The count
admired them； though generally nothing of the kind appealed to him。
The clever saying of Champcenetz； 〃He builds dungeons in Spain；〃
seemed to have been made for him。
I spent several days at Clochegourde； going but seldom to Frapesle；
where； however； I dined three times。 The French army now occupied
Tours。 Though my presence was health and strength to Madame de
Mortsauf； she implored me to make my way to Chateauroux； and so round
by Issoudun and Orleans to Paris with what haste I could。 I tried to
resist； but she commanded me； saying that my guardian angel spoke。 I
obeyed。 Our farewell was； this time； dim with tears； she feared the
allurements of the life I was about to live。 Is it not a serious thing
to enter the maelstrom of interests； passions； and pleasures which
make Paris a dangerous ocean for chaste love and purity of conscience？
I promised to write to her every night； relating the events and
thoughts of the day； even the most trivial。 When I gave the promise
she laid her head on my shoulder and said： 〃Leave nothing out；
everything will interest me。〃
She gave me letters for the duke and duchess； which I delivered the
second day after my return。
〃You are in luck；〃 said the duke； 〃dine here to…day； and go with me
this evening to the Chateau； your fortune is made。 The king spoke of
you this morning； and said； 'He is young； capable； and trustworthy。'
His Majesty added that he wished he knew whether you were living or
dead； and in what part of France events had thrown you after you had
executed your mission so ably。〃
That night I was appointed master of petitions to the council of
State； and I also received a private and permanent place in the
employment of Louis XVIII。 himself；a confidential position； not
highly distinguished； but without any risks； a position which put me
at the very heart of the government and has been the source of all my
subsequent prosperity。 Madame de Mortsauf had judged rightly。 I now
owed everything to her； power and wealth； happiness and knowledge； she
guided and encouraged me； purified my heart； and gave to my will that
unity of purpose without which the powers of youth are wasted。 Later I
had a colleague； we each served six months。 We were allowed to supply
each other's place if necessary； we had rooms at the Chateau； a
carriage； and large allowances for travelling when absent on missions。
Strange position！ We were the secret disciples of a monarch in a
policy to which even his enemies have since done signal justice； alone
with us he gave judgment on all things； foreign and domestic； yet we
had no legitimate influence； often we were consulted like Laforet by
Moliere； and made to feel that the hesitations of long experience were
confirmed or removed by the vigorous perceptions of youth。
In other respects my future was secured in a manner to satisfy
ambition。 Beside my salary as master of petitions； paid by the budget
of the council of State； the king gave me a thousand francs a month
from his privy purse； and often himself added more to it。 Though the
king knew well that no young man of twenty…three could long bear up
under the labors with which he loaded me； my colleague； now a peer of
France； was not appointed till August； 1817。 The choice was a
difficult one； our functions demanded so many capabilities that the
king was long in coming to a decision。 He did me the honor to ask
which of the young men among whom he was hesitating I should like for
an associate。 Among them was one who had been my school…fellow at
Lepitre's； I did not select him。 His Majesty asked why。
〃The king；〃 I replied； 〃chooses men who are equally faithful； but
whose capabilities differ。 I choose the one whom I think the most
able； certain that I shall always be able to get on with him。〃
My judgment coincided with that of the king； who was pleased with the
sacrifice I had made。 He said on this occasion； 〃You are to be the
chief〃； and he related these circumstances to my colleague； who
became； in return for the service I had done him； my good friend。 The
consideration shown to me by the Duc de Lenoncourt set the tone of
that which I met with in society。 To have it said； 〃The king takes an
interest in the young man； that young man has a future； the king likes
him；〃 would have served me in place of talents； and it now gave to the
kindly welcome accorded to youth a certain respect that is only given
to power。 In the salon of the Duchesse de Lenoncourt and also at the
house of my sister who had just married the Marquis de Listomere； son
of the old lady in the Ile St。 Louis； I gradually came to know the
influential personages of the Faubourg St。 Germain。
Henriette herself put me at the heart of the circle then called 〃le
Petit Chateau〃 by the help of her great…aunt； the Princesse de
Blamont…Chauvry； to whom she wrote so warmly in my behalf that the
princess immediately sent for me。 I cultivated her and contrived to
please her； and she became； not my protectress but a friend； in whose
kindness there was something maternal。 The old lady took pains to make
me intimate with her daughter Madame d'Espard； with the Duchesse de
Langeais； the Vicomtesse de Beauseant； and the Duchesse de
Maufrigneuse； women who held the sceptre of fashion； and who were all
the more gracious to me because I made no pretensions and was always
ready to be useful and agreeable to them。 My brother Charles； far from
avoiding me； now began to lean upon me； but my rapid success roused a
secret jealousy in his mind which in after years caused me great
vexation。 My father and mother； surprised by a triumph so unexpected；
felt their vanity flattered； and received me at last as a son。 But
their feeling was too artificial； I might say false； to let their
present treatment have much influence upon a sore heart。 Affectations
stained with selfishness win little sympathy； the heart abhors
calculations and profits of all kinds。
I wrote regularly to Henriette； who answered by two letters a month。
Her spirit hovered over me； her thoughts traversed space and made the
atmosphere around me pure。 No woman could captivate me。 The king
noticed my reserve； and as； in this respect； he belonged to the school
of Louis XV。； he called me； in jest； Mademoiselle de Vandenesse； but
my conduct pleased him。 I am convinced that the habit of patience I
acquired in my childhood and practised at Clochegourde had much to do
in my winning the favor of the king； who was always most kind to me。
He no doubt took a fancy to read my letters； for he soon gave up his
notion of my life as that of a young girl。 One day when the duke was
on duty； and I was writing at the king's dictation； the latter
suddenly remarked； in that fine； silvery voice of his； to which he
could give； when he chose； the biting tone of epigram：
〃So that poor devil of a Mortsauf persists in living？〃
〃Yes；〃 replied the duke。
〃Madame de Mortsauf is an angel； whom I should like to see at my
court；〃 continued the king； 〃but if I cannot manage it； my chancellor
here；〃 turning to me； 〃may be more fortunate。 You are to have six
months' leave； I have decided on giving you the young man we spoke of
yesterday as colleague。 Amuse yourself at Clochegourde； friend Cato！〃
and he laughed as he had himself wheeled out of the room。
I flew like a swallow to Touraine。 For the first time I was to show
myself to my beloved； not merely a little less insignificant； but
actually in the guise of an elegant young man； whose manners had been
formed in the best salons； his education finished by gracious women；
who had found at last a compensation for all his sufferings； and had
put to use the experience given to him by the purest angel to whom
heaven had ever committed the care of a child。 You know how my mother
had equipped me for my three months' visit at Frapesle。 When I reached
Clochegourde after fulfilling my mission in Vendee； I was dressed like
a huntsman； I wore a jacket with white and red buttons； striped
trousers； leathern gaiters and shoes。 Tramping through underbrush had
so injured my clothes that the count was obliged to lend me linen。 On
the present occasion； two years' residence in Paris； constant
intercourse with the king； the habits of a life at ease； my completed
growth； a youthful countenance； which derived a lustre from the
placidity of the soul within magnetically united with the pure soul
that beamed on me from Clochegourde；all these things combined had
transformed me。 I was self…possessed without conceit； inwardly pleased
to find myself； in spite of my years； at the summit of affairs； above
all； I had the consciousness of being secretly the support and comfort
of the dearest woman on earth； and her unuttered hope。 Perhaps I felt
a flutter of vanity as the postilions cracked their whips along the
new avenue leading from the main road to Clochegourde and through an
iron gate I had never seen before； which opened into a circular
enclosure recently constructed。 I had not written to the countess of
my coming； wishing to surprise her。 For this I found myself doubly in
fault： first； she was overwhelmed with the excitement of a pleasure
long desired； but supposed to be impossible； and secondly； she proved
to me that all such deliberate surprises are in bad taste。
When Henriette saw a young man in him who had hitherto seemed but a
child to her； she lowered her eyes with a sort of tragic slowness。 She
allowed me to take and kiss her hand without betraying her inward
pleasure； which I nevertheless felt in her sensitive shiver。 When she
raised her face to look at me again； I saw that she was pale。
〃Well； you don't forget your old friends？〃 said Monsieur de Mortsauf；
who had neither changed nor aged。
The children sprang upon me。 I saw them behind the grave face of the
Abbe Dominis； Jacques' tutor。
〃No；〃 I replied； 〃and in future I am to have six months' leave； which
will always be spent hereWhy； what is the matter？〃 I said to the
countess； putting my arm round her waist and holding her up in
pre