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You know that； between us two； my part is rather that of reason； yours
of imagination： I personify sober duty； you reckless love。 It has
pleased fate to continue in our lives this contrast in character which
was imperceptible to all except ourselves。 I am a simple country
vicountess； very ambitious； and making it her task to lead her family
on the road to prosperity。 On the other hand； Macumer； late Duc de
Soria； has a name in the world； and you； a duchess by right； reign in
Paris； where reigning is no easy matter even for kings。 You have a
considerable fortune； which will be doubled if Macumer carries out his
projects for developing his great estates in Sardinia； the resources
of which are matter of common talk at Marseilles。 Deny； if you can；
that if either has the right to be jealous； it is not you。 But； thank
God； we have both hearts generous enough to place our friendship
beyond reach of such vulgar pettiness。
I know you； dear； I know that； ere now； you are ashamed of having
fled。 But don't suppose that your flight will save you from a single
word of discourse which I had prepared for your benefit to…day beneath
the rock。 Read carefully then； I beg of you； what I say； for it
concerns you even more closely than Macumer； though he also enters
largely into my sermon。
Firstly； my dear； you do not love him。 Before two years are over； you
will be sick of adoration。 You will never look on Felipe as a husband；
to you he will always be the lover whom you can play with； for that is
how all women treat their lovers。 You do not look up to him； or
reverence； or worship him as a woman should the god of her idolatry。
You see； I have made a study of love； my sweet； and more than once
have I taken soundings in the depth of my own heart。 Now； as the
result of a careful diagnosis of your case； I can say with confidence；
this is not love。
Yes； dear Queen of Paris； you cannot escape the destiny of all queens。
The day will come when you long to be treated as a light…o'…love； to
be mastered and swept off your feet by a strong man； one who will not
prostrate himself in adoration before you； but will seize your arm
roughly in a fit of jealousy。 Macumer loves you too fondly ever to be
able either to resist you or find fault with you。 A single glance from
you； a single coaxing word； would melt his sternest resolution。 Sooner
or later； you will learn to scorn this excessive devotion。 He spoils
you； alas！ just as I used to spoil you at the convent； for you are a
most bewitching woman； and there is no escaping your siren…like
charms。
Worse than all； you are candid； and it often happens that our
happiness depends on certain social hypocrisies to which you will
never stoop。 For instance； society will not tolerate a frank display
of the wife's power over her husband。 The convention is that a man
must no more show himself the lover of his wife； however passionately
he adores her； than a married woman may play the part of a mistress。
This rule you both disregard。
In the first place； my child； from what you have yourself told me； it
is clear that the one unpardonable sin in society is to be happy。 If
happiness exists； no one must know of it。 But this is a small point。
What seems to me important is that the perfect equality which reigns
between lovers ought never to appear in the case of husband and wife；
under pain of undermining the whole fabric of society and entailing
terrible disasters。 If it is painful to see a man whom nature has made
a nonentity； how much worse is the spectacle of a man of parts brought
to that position？ Before very long you will have reduced Macumer to
the mere shadow of a man。 He will cease to have a will and character
of his own； and become mere clay in your hands。 You will have so
completely moulded him to your likeness； that your household will
consist of only one person instead of two； and that one necessarily
imperfect。 You will regret it bitterly； but when at last you deign to
open your eyes； the evil will be past cure。 Do what we will； women do
not； and never will； possess the qualities which are characteristic of
men； and these qualities are absolutely indispensable to family life。
Already Macumer； blinded though he is； has a dim foreshadowing of this
future； he feels himself less a man through his love。 His visit to
Sardinia is a proof to me that he hopes by this temporary separation
to succeed in recovering his old self。
You never scruple to use the power which his love has placed in your
hand。 Your position of vantage may be read in a gesture； a look； a
tone。 Oh！ darling； how truly are you the mad wanton your mother called
you！ You do not question； I fancy； that I am greatly Louis' superior。
Well； I would ask you； have you ever heard me contradict him？ Am I not
always； in the presence of others； the wife who respects in him the
authority of the family？ Hypocrisy！ you will say。 Well； listen to me。
It is true that if I want to give him any advice which I think may be
of use to him； I wait for the quiet and seclusion of our bedroom to
explain what I think and wish； but； I assure you； sweetheart； that
even there I never arrogate to myself the place of mentor。 If I did
not remain in private the same submissive wife that I appear to
others； he would lose confidence in himself。 Dear； the good we do to
others is spoilt unless we efface ourselves so completely that those
we help have no sense of inferiority。 There is a wonderful sweetness
in these hidden sacrifices； and what a triumph for me in your
unsuspecting praises of Louis！ There can be no doubt also that the
happiness； the comfort； the hope of the last two years have restored
what misfortune； hardship； solitude； and despondency has robbed him
of。
This； then； is the sum…total of my observations。 At the present moment
you love in Felipe； not your husband； but yourself。 There is truth in
your father's words； concealed by the spring…flowers of your passion
lies all the great lady's selfishness。 Ah！ my child； how I must love
you to speak such bitter truths！
Let me tell you； if you will promise never to breathe a word of this
to the Baron； the end of our talk。 We had been singing your praises in
every key； for he soon discovered that I loved you like a fondly…
cherished sister； and having insensibly brought him to a confidential
mood； I ventured to say：
〃Louise has never yet had to struggle with life。 She has been the
spoilt child of fortune； and she might yet have to pay for this were
you not there to act the part of father as well as lover。〃
〃Ah！ but is it possible？ 。 。 。〃 He broke off abruptly； like a man who
sees himself on the edge of a precipice。 But the exclamation was
enough for me。 No doubt； if you had stayed； he would have spoken more
freely later。
My sweet； think of the day awaiting you when your husband's strength
will be exhausted； when pleasure will have turned to satiety； and he
sees himself； I will not say degraded； but shorn of his proper dignity
before you。 The stings of conscience will then waken a sort of remorse
in him； all the more painful for you； because you will feel yourself
responsible； and you will end by despising the man