persistence.
Only
last
year
a
charming
,
beautiful
young
woman
,
with
—
mon
Dieu
!
—
a
talent
that
might
have
placed
her
on
the
topmost
rank
of
singers
,
had
married
against
the
fervent
entreaties
of
Jouffroy
,
and
now
he
shrugged
his
shoulders
with
a
gesture
of
pitying
contempt
—
“
elle
est
mère
tout
simplement
.
”
Her
force
had
gone
from
herself
into
the
plump
infant
,
whose
“
cris
dechirants
”
were
all
that
now
remained
to
the
world
of
his
mother
's
once
magnificent
voice
.
Hélas
!
how
many
brilliant
careers
had
he
not
seen
ruined
by
this
fatal
instinct
!
Jouffroy
's
passion
for
his
art
had
overcome
the
usual
sentiment
of
the
Frenchman
,
and
even
the
strain
of
Jewish
blood
.
He
did
not
think
a
woman
of
genius
well
lost
for
a
child
.
He
grudged
her
to
the
fetish
la
famille
.
He
went
so
far
as
to
say
that
,
even
without
the
claims
of
genius
,
a
woman
ought
to
be
permitted
to
please
herself
in
the
matter
.
When
he
heard
that
Madame
had
two
children
,
and
yet
had
not
abandoned
her
ambition
,
he
nodded
gravely
and
significantly
.
“
But
Madame
has
courage
,
”
he
commented
.
“
She
must
have
braved
much
censure
.
”
It
was
the
first
case
of
the
kind
that
had
come
under
his
notice
.
He
hoped
much
from
it
.
His
opinion
of
the
sex
would
depend
on
Hadria
's
power
of
persistence
.
In
consequence
of
numberless
pupils
who
had
shewn
great
promise
,
and
then
had
satisfied
themselves
with
“
a
stupid
maternity
,
”
Jouffrey
was
inclined
to
regard
women
with
contempt
,
not
as
regards
their
talent
,
which
he
declared
was
often
astonishing
,
but
as
regards
their
persistency
of
character
and
purpose
.
One
could
not
rely
on
them
.
They
had
enthusiasm
—
Oh
,
but
enthusiasm
à
faire
peur
,
but
presently
“
un
monsieur
avec
des
moustaches
seduisantes
”
approaches
,
and
then
“
Phui
,
c'est
tout
fini
!
”
There
was
something
of
fatality
in
the
affair
.
The
instinct
was
terrible
;
a
demoniacal
possession
.
It
was
for
women
a
veritable
curse
,
a
disease
.
M
.
Jouffroy
had
pronounced
views
on
the
subject
.
He
regarded
the
maternal
instinct
as
the
scourge
of
genius
.
It
was
,
for
women
,
the
devil
's
truncheon
,
his
rod
of
empire
.
This
“
reproductive
rage
”
held
them
—
in
spite
of
all
their
fine
intuitions
and
astonishing
ability
—
after
all
on
the
animal
plane
;
cut
them
off
from
the
little
band
of
those
who
could
break
up
new
ground
in
human
knowledge
,
and
explore
new
heights
of
Art
and
Nature
.
“
I
speak
to
you
thus
,
Madame
,
not
because
I
think
little
of
your
sex
,
but
because
I
grudge
them
to
the
monster
who
will
not
spare
us
even
one
!
”
Hadria
worked
with
sufficient
energy
to
please
even
Jouffroy
.
Her
heart
was
in
it
,
and
her
progress
rapid
.
Everything
was
organized
,
in
her
life
,
for
the
one
object
.
At
the
School
of
Music
,
she
was
in
an
atmosphere
of
work
,
everyone
being
bent
on
the
same
goal
,
each
detail
arranged
to
further
the
students
in
their
efforts
.
It
was
like
walking
on
a
pavement
after
struggling
uphill
on
loose
sand
;
like
breathing
sea-breezes
after
inhaling
a
polluted
atmosphere
.
In
old
days
,
Hadria
used
to
be
haunted
by
a
singular
recurrent
nightmare
:
that
she
was
toiling
up
a
steep
mountain
made
of
hard
slippery
rock
,
the
summit
always
receding
as
she
advanced
.
Behind
her
was
a
vast
precipice
down
which
she
must
fall
if
she
lost
her
footing
;
and
always
,
she
saw
hands
without
bodies
attached
to
them
placing
stones
in
the
path
,
so
that
they
rolled
down
and
had
to
be
evaded
at
the
peril
of
her
life
.
And
each
time
,
after
one
set
of
stones
was
evaded
,
and
she
thought
there
would
be
a
time
of
respite
,
another
batch
was
set
rolling
,
amid
thin
,
scarcely
audible
laughter
,
which
came
on
the
storm-wind
that
blew
precipice-wards
across
the
mountain
;
and
invariably
she
awoke
just
as
a
final
avalanche
of
cruel
stones
had
sent
her
reeling
over
the
hideous
verge
.
One
is
disposed
to
make
light
of
the
sufferings
gone
through
in
a
dream
,
though
it
would
trouble
most
of
us
to
explain
why
,
since
the
agony
of
mind
is
often
as
extreme
as
possibly
could
be
endured
in
actual
life
.
From
the
day
of
her
arrival
in
Paris
,
Hadria
was
never
again
tormented
with
this
nightmare
.
Composition
went
on
rapidly
now
.
Soon
there
was
a
little
pile
of
new
work
for
M
.
Jouffroy
's
inspection
.
He
was
delighted
,
criticizing
severely
,
but
always
encouraging
to
fresh
efforts
.
As
for
the
publishing
,
that
was
a
different
matter
.
In
spite
of
M
.
Jouffroy
's
recommendation
,
publishers
could
not
venture
on
anything
of
a
character
so
unpopular
.
The
music
had
merit
,
but
it
was
eccentric
.
M
.
Jouffroy
was
angry
.
He
declared
that
he
would
play
something
of
Madame
's
at
the
next
Châtelet
concert
.
There
would
be
opposition
,
but
he
would
carry
his
point
.
And
he
did
.
But
the
audience
received
it
very
coldly
.
Although
Hadria
had
expected
such
a
reception
,
she
felt
a
chill
run
through
her
,
and
a
sinking
of
the
heart
.
It
was
like
a
cold
word
that
rebuffs
an
offer
of
sympathy
,
or
an
appeal
for
it
.
It
sent
her
back
into
depths
of
loneliness
,
and
reminded
her
how
cut
off
she
was
from
the
great
majority
of
her
fellows
,
after
all
.
And
then
Guy
de
Maupassant
's
dreadful
“
Solitude
”
came
to
her
memory
.
There
is
no
way
(
the
hero
of
the
sketch
asserts
)
by
which
a
man
can
break
the
eternal
loneliness
to
which
he
is
foredoomed
.
He
cannot
convey
to
others
his
real
impressions
or
emotion
,
try
as
he
may
.
By
a
series
of
assertions
,
hard
to
deny
,
the
hero
arrives
at
a
terrible
conclusion
amounting
to
this
:
Art
,
affection
,
are
in
vain
;
we
know
not
what
we
say
,
nor
whom
we
love
.
Jouffroy
came
out
of
the
theatre
,
snorting
and
ruffled
.
“
But
they
are
imbeciles
,
all
!
”
Hadria
thought
that
perhaps
she
was
the
“
imbecile
”
;
it
was
a
possibility
to
be
counted
with
,
but
she
dared
not
say
so
to
the
irate
Jouffroy
.
He
was
particularly
angry
,
because
the
audience
had
confirmed
his
own
fear
that
only
very
slowly
would
the
quality
of
the
music
be
recognized
by
even
the
more
cultivated
public
.
It
had
invaded
fresh
territory
,
he
said
,
added
to
the
range
of
expression
,
and
was
meanwhile
a
new
language
to
casual
listeners
.
It
was
rebel
music
,
offensive
to
the
orthodox
.
Hubert
had
always
said
that
“
it
was
out
of
the
question
,
”
and
he
appeared
to
have
been
right
.
“
Bah
,
ce
ne
sont
que
des
moutons
!
”
exclaimed
Jouffroy
.
If
the
work
had
been
poorer
,
less
original
,
there
would
not
have
been
this
trouble
.
Was
there
not
some
other
method
by
which
Madame
could
earn
what
was
necessary
,
en
attendant
?
In
one
of
Professor
Fortescue
's
letters
,
he
had
reminded
Hadria
of
his
eagerness
to
help
her
.
Yet
,
what
could
he
do
?
He
had
influence
in
the
world
of
science
,
but
Hadria
could
not
produce
anything
scientific
!
She
bethought
her
of
trying
to
write
light
descriptive
articles
,
of
a
kind
depending
not
so
much
on
literary
skill
as
on
subject
and
epistolary
freshness
of
touch
.
These
she
sent
to
the
Professor
,
not
without
reluctance
,
knowing
how
overburdened
he
already
was
with
work
and
with
applications
for
help
and
advice
.
He
approved
of
her
idea
,
and
advised
the
articles
being
sent
the
round
of
the
magazines
and
papers
.
Through
his
influence
,
one
of
the
shorter
articles
was
accepted
,
and
Hadria
felt
encouraged
.
Her
day
was
now
very
full
.
The
new
art
was
laborious
,
severely
simple
in
character
,
though
she
studiously
made
her
articles
.
Her
acquaintances
had
multiplied
very
rapidly
of
late
,
and
although
this
brought
into
her
experience
much
that
was
pleasant
and
interesting
,
the
demands
of
an
enlarging
circle
swallowed
an
astonishing
number
of
hours
.
An
element
of
trouble
had
begun
to
come
into
the
life
that
had
been
so
full
of
serenity
,
as
well
as
of
regular
and
strenuous
work
.
Hadria
was
already
feeling
the
effects
of
anxiety
and
hurry
.
She
had
not
come
with
untried
powers
to
the
fray
.
The
reserve
forces
had
long
ago
been
sapped
,
in
the
early
struggles
,
beginning
in
her
girlhood
and
continuing
at
increasing
pressure
ever
since
.
There
was
only
enough
nerve-force
to
enable
one
to
live
from
hand
to
mouth
.
Expenditure
of
this
force
having
been
so
often
in
excess
of
income
,
economy
had
become
imperative
.
Yet
,
economy
was
difficult
.
M
.
Jouffroy
was
always
spurring
her
to
work
,
to
throw
over
everything
for
this
object
;
letters
from
England
incessantly
urged
a
very
different
course
;
friends
in
Paris
pressed
her
to
visit
them
,
to
accompany
them
hither
and
thither
,
to
join
musical
parties
,
to
compose
little
songs
(
some
bagatelle
in
celebration
of
a
birthday
or
wedding
)
,
to
drive
to
the
further
end
of
the
town
to
play
to
this
person
or
that
who
had
heard
of
Madame
's
great
talent
.
Hadria
was
glad
to
do
anything
she
could
to
express
her
gratitude
for
the
kindness
she
had
received
on
all
hands
,
but
,
alas
!
there
were
only
a
certain
number
of
hours
in
the
day
,
and
only
a
certain
number
of
years
in
one
's
life
,
and
art
was
long
.
Moreover
,
nerves
were
awkward
things
to
play
with
.
Insidiously
,
treacherously
,
difficulties
crept
up
.
Even
here
,
where
she
seemed
so
free
,
the
peculiar
claims
that
are
made
,
by
common
consent
,
on
a
woman
's
time
and
strength
began
to
weave
their
tiny
cords
around
her
.
She
took
warning
,
and
put
an
end
to
any
voluntary
increase
of
her
circle
,
but
the
step
had
been
taken
a
little
too
late
.
The
mischief
was
done
.
To
give
pain
or
offence
for
the
sake
of
an
hour
or
two
,
more
or
less
,
seemed
cruel
and
selfish
,
yet
Hadria
often
longed
for
the
privilege
that
every
man
enjoys
,
of
quietly
pursuing
his
work
without
giving
either
.
A
disastrous
sense
of
hurry
and
fatigue
began
to
oppress
her
.
This
was
becoming
serious
.
She
must
make
a
stand
.
Yet
her
attempts
at
explanation
were
generally
taken
as
polite
excuses
for
neglecting
those
who
had
been
kind
and
cordial
.
Jouffroy
taxed
her
with
looking
tired
.
One
must
not
be
tired
.
One
must
arrange
the
time
so
as
to
secure
ample
rest
and
recreation
after
the
real
work
was
over
.
Women
were
so
foolish
in
that
way
.
They
did
everything
feverishly
.
They
imagined
themselves
to
have
inexhaustible
nerves
.
Hadria
hinted
that
it
was
perhaps
others
who
demanded
of
them
what
was
possible
only
to
inexhaustible
nerves
.
True
;
towards
women
,
people
behaved
as
idiots
.
How
was
it
possible
to
produce
one
's
best
,
if
repose
were
lacking
?
Serenity
was
necessary
for
all
production
.
As
well
expect
water
perpetually
agitated
to
freeze
,
as
expect
the
crystals
of
the
mind
to
produce
themselves
under
the
influence
of
incessant
disturbance
.
Work
?
Yes
.
Work
never
harmed
any
man
or
woman
.
It
was
harassment
that
killed
.
Work
of
the
mind
,
of
the
artistic
powers
,
that
was
a
tonic
to
the
whole
being
.
But
little
distractions
,
irregular
duties
,
worries
,
uncertainties
—
Jouffroy
shook
his
head
ominously
.
And
not
only
to
the
artist
were
they
fatal
.
It
was
these
that
drew
such
deep
lines
on
the
faces
of
women
still
young
.
It
was
these
that
destroyed
ability
and
hope
,
and
killed
God
only
knew
how
many
of
His
good
gifts
!
Poverty
:
that
could
be
endured
with
all
its
difficulties
,
if
that
were
the
one
anxiety
.
It
was
never
the
one
but
the
multitude
of
troubles
that
destroyed
.
Serenity
there
must
be
.
A
man
knew
that
,
and
insisted
on
having
it
.
Friends
were
no
true
friends
if
they
robbed
one
of
it
.
For
him
,
he
had
a
poor
opinion
of
that
which
people
called
affection
,
regard
.
As
for
l'amour
,
that
was
the
supreme
egotism
.
The
affections
were
simply
a
means
to
“
make
oneself
paid
.
”
Affection
!
Bah
!
One
did
not
offer
it
for
nothing
,
bien
sûr
!
It
was
through
this
insufferable
pretext
that
one
arrived
at
governing
others
.
“
Comment
?
Your
presence
can
give
me
happiness
,
and
you
will
not
remain
always
beside
me
?
It
is
nothing
to
you
how
I
suffer
?
To
me
whom
you
love
you
refuse
this
small
demand
?
”
Jouffroy
opened
his
eyes
,
with
a
scornful
glare
.
“
It
is
in
that
fashion
,
I
promise
you
,
that
one
can
rule
!
”
“
Ah
,
monsieur
,
”
said
Hadria
,
“
you
are
a
keen
observer
.
How
I
wish
you
could
live
a
woman
's
life
for
a
short
time
.
You
are
wise
now
,
but
after
that
—
”
“
Madame
,
I
have
sinned
in
my
day
,
perhaps
to
merit
purgatorial
fires
;
but
,
without
false
modesty
,
I
do
not
think
that
I
have
justly
incurred
the
penalty
you
propose
to
me
.
”
Hadria
laughed
.
“
It
would
be
a
strange
piece
of
poetic
justice
,
”
she
said
,
“
if
all
the
men
who
have
sinned
beyond
forgiveness
in
this
incarnation
,
should
be
doomed
to
appear
in
the
next
,
as
well-brought-up
women
.
”
Jouffroy
smiled
.
“
Fancy
some
conquering
hero
reappearing
in
ringlets
and
mittens
,
as
one
's
maiden
aunt
.
”
Jouffroy
grinned
.
“
Ce
serait
dur
!
”
“
Ah
,
mon
Dieu
!
”
cried
Madame
Vauchelet
,
“
if
men
had
to
endure
in
the
next
world
that
which
they
have
made
women
suffer
in
this
—
that
would
be
an
atrocious
justice
!
”
CHAPTER
XXXV
.
STUBBORNLY
Hadria
sent
her
packets
to
the
publishers
;
the
publishers
as
firmly
returned
them
.
She
had
two
sets
flying
now
,
like
tennis
balls
,
she
wrote
to
Miss
Du
Prel
:
one
set
across
the
Channel
.
The
publishers
,
she
feared
,
played
the
best
game
,
but
she
had
the
English
quality
of
not
knowing
when
she
was
beaten
.
Valeria
had
succeeded
in
finding
a
place
for
two
of
the
articles
.
This
was
encouraging
,
but
funds
were
running
alarmingly
low
.
The
apartement
would
have
either
to
be
given
up
,
or
to
be
taken
on
for
another
term
,
at
the
end
of
the
week
.
A
decision
must
be
made
.
Hadria
was
dismayed
to
find
her
strength
beginning
to
fail
.
That
made
the
thought
of
the
future
alarming
.
With
health
and
vigour
nothing
seemed
impossible
,
but
without
that
—
It
seemed
absurd
that
there
should
be
so
much
difficulty
about
earning
a
living
.
Other
women
had
done
it
.
Valeria
had
always
made
light
of
the
matter
—
when
she
had
the
theory
of
the
sovereignty
of
the
will
to
support
.
Another
couple
of
articles
which
seemed
to
their
creator
to
possess
popular
qualities
were
sent
off
.
But
after
a
weary
delay
,
they
shared
the
fate
of
their
predecessors
.
Hadria
now
moved
into
a
smaller
suite
of
rooms
,
parting
regretfully
with
Therèse
,
and
flinging
herself
once
more
on
the
mercy
of
a
landlady
.
This
time
M
.
Thillard
had
discovered
the
lodging
for
her
;
a
shabby
,
but
sunny
little
house
,
kept
by
a
motherly
woman
with
a
reputation
for
perfect
honesty
.
Expenses
were
thus
kept
down
,
but
unhappily
very
little
was
coming
in
to
meet
them
.
It
was
impossible
to
pull
through
the
year
at
this
rate
.
But
,
of
course
,
there
was
daily
hope
of
something
turning
up
.
The
arrival
of
the
post
was
always
an
exciting
moment
.
At
last
Hadria
wrote
to
ask
Algitha
to
try
and
sell
for
her
a
spray
of
diamonds
,
worth
about
eighty
pounds
.
Time
must
be
gained
,
at
all
hazards
.
Algitha
tried
everywhere
,
and
enquired
in
all
directions
,
but
could
not
get
more
than
five-and-twenty
pounds
for
it
.
She
felt
anxious
about
her
sister
,
and
thought
of
coming
over
to
Paris
to
see
her
,
in
order
to
talk
over
some
matters
that
could
no
longer
be
kept
out
of
sight
.
Algitha
had
wished
to
give
Hadria
an
opportunity
for
work
and
rest
,
and
to
avoid
recurrence
of
worry
;
but
it
was
no
longer
possible
or
fair
to
conceal
the
fact
that
there
were
troubles
looming
ahead
,
at
Dunaghee
.
Their
father
had
suffered
several
severe
losses
through
some
bank
failures
;
and
now
that
wretched
company
in
which
he
had
always
had
such
faith
appeared
to
be
shaky
,
and
if
that
were
also
to
smash
,
the
state
of
affairs
would
be
desperate
.
Their
father
,
in
his
optimistic
fashion
,
still
believed
that
the
company
would
pull
through
.
Of
course
all
this
anxiety
was
telling
seriously
on
their
mother
.
And
,
alas
she
had
been
fretting
very
much
about
Hadria
.
After
Algitha
's
misdeed
,
this
second
blow
struck
hard
.
One
must
act
on
one
's
own
convictions
and
not
on
those
of
somebody
else
,
however
beloved
that
other
person
might
be
,
but
truly
the
penalty
of
daring
to
take
an
independent
line
of
action
was
almost
unbearably
severe
.
It
really
seemed
,
at
times
,
as
if
there
were
nothing
for
it
but
to
fold
one
's
hands
and
do
exactly
as
one
was
bid
.
Algitha
was
beginning
to
wonder
whether
her
own
revolt
was
about
to
be
expiated
by
a
life-long
remorse
!
“
Ah
,
if
mother
had
only
not
sacrificed
herself
for
us
,
how
infinitely
grateful
I
should
feel
to
her
now
!
What
sympathy
there
might
have
been
between
us
all
!
If
she
had
but
given
herself
a
chance
,
how
she
might
have
helped
us
,
and
what
a
friend
she
might
have
been
to
us
,
and
we
to
her
!
But
she
would
not
.
”
Algitha
said
that
her
mother
evidently
felt
Hadria
's
departure
as
a
disgrace
to
the
family
.
It
was
pathetic
to
hear
her
trying
to
answer
people
's
casual
questions
about
her
,
so
as
to
conceal
the
facts
without
telling
an
untruth
.
Hadria
was
overwhelmed
by
this
letter
.
Her
first
impulse
was
to
pack
up
and
go
straight
to
Dunaghee
.
But
as
Algitha
was
there
now
,
this
seemed
useless
,
at
any
rate
for
the
present
.
And
ought
she
after
all
to
abandon
her
project
,
for
which
so
much
had
been
risked
,
so
much
pain
inflicted
?
The
question
that
she
and
Algitha
thought
they
had
decided
long
ago
,
began
to
beat
again
at
the
door
of
her
conscience
and
her
pity
.
Her
reason
still
asserted
that
the
suffering
which
people
entail
upon
themselves
,
through
a
frustrated
desire
to
force
their
own
law
of
conduct
on
others
,
must
be
borne
by
themselves
,
as
the
penalty
of
their
own
tyrannous
instinct
and
of
their
own
narrow
thought
.
It
was
utterly
unfair
to
thrust
that
natural
penalty
of
prejudice
and
of
self-neglect
on
to
the
shoulders
of
others
.
Why
should
they
be
protected
from
the
appointed
punishment
,
by
the
offering
of
another
life
on
the
altar
of
their
prejudice
?
Why
should
such
a
sacrifice
be
made
in
order
to
gratify
their
tyrannical
desire
to
dictate
?
It
was
not
fair
,
it
was
not
reasonable
.
Yet
this
conclusion
of
the
intellect
did
not
prevent
the
pain
of
pity
and
compunction
,
nor
an
inconsequent
sense
of
guilt
.
Meanwhile
it
would
be
best
,
perhaps
,
to
await
Algitha
's
arrival
,
when
affairs
might
be
in
a
less
uncertain
state
.
All
decision
must
be
postponed
till
then
.
“
Try
and
come
soon
,
”
she
wrote
to
her
sister
.
To
add
to
the
anxieties
of
the
moment
,
little
Martha
seemed
to
lose
in
energy
since
coming
to
the
new
abode
,
and
Hadria
began
to
fear
that
the
house
was
not
quite
healthy
.
It
was
very
cheap
,
and
the
landlady
was
honest
,
but
if
it
had
this
serious
drawback
,
another
move
,
with
probably
another
drawback
,
seemed
to
threaten
.
This
was
particularly
troublesome
,
for
who
could
tell
how
long
it
would
be
possible
to
remain
in
Paris
?
Hadria
thought
of
the
doctrine
of
the
sovereignty
of
the
will
,
and
of
all
the
grand
and
noble
things
that
the
Preposterous
Society
had
said
about
it
,
not
to
mention
Emerson
and
others
—
and
she
smiled
.
However
,
she
worked
on
,
putting
aside
her
anxieties
,
as
far
as
was
possible
.
She
would
not
fail
for
lack
of
will
,
at
any
rate
.
But
it
was
a
hard
struggle
.
Martha
had
to
be
very
carefully
watched
just
now
.
Happily
,
after
a
few
anxious
days
,
she
began
to
recover
her
fresh
colour
and
her
high
spirits
.
The
move
would
not
be
necessary
,
after
all
.
Hadria
had
become
more
and
more
attached
to
the
child
,
whose
lovable
qualities
developed
with
her
growth
.
She
was
becoming
singularly
like
her
unhappy
mother
,
in
feature
and
in
colouring
.
Her
eyes
were
large
and
blue
and
sweet
,
with
a
little
touch
of
pathos
in
them
that
Hadria
could
not
bear
to
see
.
It
seemed
almost
like
the
after-glow
of
the
mother
's
suffering
.
Although
adding
to
Hadria
's
anxieties
,
the
child
gave
a
sense
of
freshness
and
youth
to
the
little
ménage
.
She
made
the
anxieties
easier
to
bear
.
Hadria
came
in
,
one
morning
,
from
her
work
,
tired
and
full
of
foreboding
.
Hat
and
cloak
were
laid
aside
,
and
she
sank
into
an
arm-chair
,
lying
back
to
lazily
watch
the
efforts
of
the
child
to
overturn
the
obstinate
blue
man
,
who
was
still
the
favourite
plaything
,
perhaps
because
he
was
less
amenable
than
the
rest
.
Martha
looked
up
for
sympathy
.
She
wished
to
be
helped
in
her
persistent
efforts
to
get
the
better
of
this
upstart
blue
man
with
the
red
cap
,
who
serenely
resumed
his
erect
position
just
as
often
as
he
was
forced
to
the
ground
.
He
was
a
stout
,
healthy-looking
person
,
inclining
to
embonpoint
;
bound
to
succeed
,
if
only
from
sheer
solidity
of
person
.
Hadria
was
drawn
into
the
game
,
and
the
two
spent
a
good
half
hour
on
the
rug
together
,
playing
with
that
and
other
toys
which
Martha
toddled
off
to
the
cupboard
to
collect
.
The
child
was
in
great
delight
.
Hadria
was
playing
with
her
;
she
liked
that
better
than
having
Jean
Paul
Auguste
to
play
with
.
He
took
her
toys
away
and
always
wanted
to
play
a
different
game
.
The
clock
struck
two
.
Hadria
felt
that
she
ought
to
go
and
see
Madame
Vauchelet
;
it
was
more
than
a
week
since
she
had
called
,
and
the
kind
old
friend
was
always
gently
pained
at
an
absence
of
that
length
.
Then
there
was
an
article
to
finish
,
and
she
ought
really
to
write
to
Dunaghee
and
Henriette
and
—
well
the
rest
must
wait
.
Several
other
calls
were
also
more
than
due
,
but
it
was
useless
even
to
consider
those
to-day
.
In
spite
of
an
oppressive
sense
of
having
much
to
do
—
perhaps
because
of
it
—
Hadria
felt
as
if
it
were
a
sheer
impossibility
to
rise
from
that
hearthrug
.
Besides
,
Martha
would
not
hear
of
it
.
A
desire
to
rest
,
to
idle
,
to
float
down
the
stream
,
instead
of
trying
always
to
swim
against
it
,
became
overpowering
.
The
minutes
passed
away
.
“
The
question
is
,
Martha
,
”
Hadria
said
gravely
,
as
she
proceeded
to
pile
up
a
towering
edifice
of
bricks
,
at
the
child
's
command
,
“
the
question
is
:
Are
we
going
to
stick
to
our
plan
,
or
are
we
going
to
be
beaten
?
Oh
,
take
care
,
do
n't
pull
down
the
fairy
palace
!
That
is
a
bad
trick
that
little
fingers
have
.
No
,
no
,
I
must
have
my
fairy
palace
;
I
wo
n't
have
it
pulled
down
.
It
is
getting
so
fine
,
too
;
minarets
and
towers
,
and
domes
and
pinnacles
,
all
mixed
beautifully
.
Such
an
architecture
as
you
never
saw
!
But
some
day
perhaps
you
will
see
it
.
Those
blue
eyes
look
as
if
they
were
made
for
seeing
it
,
in
the
time
to
come
.
”
“
Pretty
eyes
!
”
said
Martha
with
frank
vanity
,
and
then
:
“
Pretty
house
!
”
“
It
is
indeed
a
pretty
house
;
they
all
are
.
But
they
are
so
horribly
shaky
.
The
minarets
are
top-heavy
,
I
fear
.
That
's
the
fault
of
the
makers
of
these
bricks
.
They
ought
to
make
the
solid
ones
in
proper
proportion
.
But
they
ca
n't
be
persuaded
.
”
“
Knock
it
down
,
”
said
Martha
,
thrusting
forth
a
mischievous
hand
,
which
was
caught
in
time
to
prevent
entire
destruction
of
the
precious
edifice
.
Half
the
minarets
had
fallen
.
“
They
must
go
up
again
,
”
said
Hadria
.
“
How
cruel
to
spoil
all
the
work
and
all
the
beauty
.
”
But
Martha
laughed
with
the
delight
of
easy
conquest
.
She
watched
with
great
interest
the
reconstruction
,
and
seemed
anxious
that
every
detail
should
be
finished
and
worthy
her
iconoclasm
.
Having
satisfied
herself
that
her
strength
would
not
be
wasted
on
an
incomplete
object
,
she
made
a
second
attempt
to
lay
the
palace
low
.
Again
she
was
frustrated
.
The
building
had
soared
,
by
this
time
,
to
an
ambitious
height
,
and
its
splendour
had
reached
the
limits
of
the
materials
at
command
.
The
final
pinnacle
which
was
required
to
cope
the
structure
had
been
mislaid
.
Hadria
was
searching
for
it
,
when
Martha
,
seizing
her
chance
,
struck
the
palace
a
blow
in
its
very
heart
,
and
in
an
instant
,
the
whole
was
a
wreck
.
“
Oh
,
if
that
is
to
be
the
way
of
it
,
why
should
I
build
?
asked
Hadria
.
Martha
gave
the
command
for
another
ornamental
object
which
she
might
destroy
.
“
One
would
suppose
you
were
a
County-Council
,
”
Hadria
exclaimed
,
“
or
the
practical
man
.
No
,
you
shall
have
no
more
beauty
to
annihilate
,
little
Vandal
.
”
Martha
,
however
,
was
now
engaged
in
dissecting
a
doll
,
and
presently
a
stream
of
sawdust
from
its
chest
announced
that
she
had
accomplished
her
dearest
desire
.
She
had
found
out
what
was
inside
that
human
effigy
.
“
I
wish
I
could
get
at
the
sawdust
that
I
am
stuffed
with
,
”
Hadria
thought
dreamily
,
as
she
watched
the
doll
grow
flabbier
.
“
It
is
wonderful
how
little
one
does
know
one
's
own
sawdust
.
It
would
be
convenient
to
feel
a
little
surer
just
now
,
for
evidently
I
shall
need
it
all
very
soon
.
And
I
feel
somewhat
like
that
doll
,
with
the
stream
pouring
out
and
the
body
getting
limp
.
”
She
rose
at
last
,
and
went
to
the
window
.
The
radiance
of
sun
and
green
trees
and
the
stir
of
human
life
;
the
rumble
of
omnibuses
and
the
sound
of
wheels
;
the
suggestion
to
the
imagination
of
the
river
just
a
little
way
off
,
and
the
merry
little
bateaux-mouches
—
it
was
too
much
.
Hadria
rang
for
Hannah
;
asked
her
to
take
the
child
for
a
walk
in
the
Bois
,
stooped
down
to
kiss
the
little
upturned
face
,
and
went
off
.
In
another
ten
minutes
she
was
on
board
one
of
the
steam-boats
,
on
her
way
up
the
river
.
She
had
no
idea
whither
she
was
going
;
she
would
leave
that
to
chance
.
She
only
desired
to
feel
the
air
and
the
sun
and
have
an
opportunity
to
think
.
She
soothed
her
uneasiness
at
the
thought
of
Madame
Vauchelet
's
disappointment
by
promising
herself
to
call
to-morrow
.
She
sat
watching
the
boats
and
the
water
and
the
gay
banks
of
the
river
with
a
sense
of
relief
,
and
a
curious
sort
of
fatalism
,
partly
suggested
perhaps
,
by
the
persistent
movement
of
the
boat
,
and
the
interminable
succession
of
new
scenes
,
all
bubbling
with
human
life
,
full
of
the
traces
of
past
events
.
One
layer
of
consciousness
was
busily
engaged
in
thinking
out
the
practical
considerations
of
the
moment
,
another
was
equally
busy
with
the
objective
and
picturesque
world
of
the
river
side
.
If
the
two
or
more
threads
of
thought
were
not
actually
followed
at
the
same
instant
,
the
alternation
was
so
rapid
as
not
to
be
perceived
.
What
was
to
be
done
?
How
was
the
situation
to
be
met
,
if
the
worst
came
to
the
worst
?
Ah
!
what
far
harder
contests
had
gone
on
in
these
dwellings
that
one
passed
by
the
hundred
.
What
lives
of
sordid
toil
had
been
struggled
through
,
in
the
effort
to
earn
the
privilege
of
continuing
to
toil
!
Hadria
was
inspired
by
keen
curiosity
concerning
these
homes
and
gardens
,
and
the
whole
panorama
that
opened
before
her
,
as
the
little
steamer
puffed
up
the
river
.
She
longed
to
penetrate
below
the
surface
and
decipher
the
strange
palimpsest
of
human
life
.
What
scenes
,
what
tragedies
,
what
comedies
,
those
bright
houses
and
demure
little
villas
concealed
.
It
was
not
exactly
consoling
to
remember
how
small
her
own
immediate
difficulties
were
in
comparison
to
those
of
others
,
but
it
seemed
to
help
her
to
face
them
.
She
would
not
be
discouraged
.
She
had
her
liberty
,
and
that
had
to
be
paid
for
.
Surely
patience
would
prevail
in
the
end
.
She
had
learnt
so
much
since
she
left
home
;
among
other
things
,
the
habit
of
facing
practical
difficulties
without
that
dismay
which
carefully-nurtured
women
inevitably
feel
on
their
first
movement
out
of
shelter
.
Yes
,
she
had
learnt
much
,
surprisingly
much
,
in
the
short
time
.
Her
new
knowledge
contained
perhaps
rather
dangerous
elements
,
for
she
had
begun
to
realize
her
own
power
,
not
only
as
an
artist
,
but
as
a
woman
.
In
this
direction
,
had
she
so
chosen
...
.
Her
thoughts
were
arrested
at
this
point
,
with
a
wrench
.
She
felt
the
temptation
assail
her
,
as
of
late
it
had
been
assailing
her
faintly
,
to
explore
this
territory
.
But
no
,
that
was
preposterous
.
It
was
certainly
not
that
she
regarded
herself
as
accountable
,
in
this
matter
,
to
any
one
but
herself
;
it
was
not
that
she
acknowledged
the
suzerainty
of
her
husband
.
A
mere
legal
claim
meant
nothing
to
her
,
and
he
knew
it
.
But
there
were
moral
perils
of
no
light
kind
to
be
guarded
against
;
the
danger
such
as
a
gambler
runs
,
of
being
drawn
away
from
the
real
objects
of
life
,
of
losing
hold
of
one
's
main
purpose
,
to
say
nothing
of
the
probable
moral
degeneration
that
would
result
from
such
experiment
.
Yet
there
was
no
blinking
the
fact
that
the
desire
had
been
growing
in
Hadria
to
test
her
powers
of
attraction
to
the
utmost
,
so
as
to
discover
exactly
their
range
and
calibre
.
She
felt
rather
as
a
boy
might
feel
who
had
come
upon
a
cask
of
gunpowder
,
and
longed
to
set
a
match
to
it
,
just
to
see
exactly
how
high
it
would
blow
off
the
roof
.
She
had
kept
the
growing
instincts
at
bay
,
being
determined
that
nothing
avoidable
should
come
between
her
and
her
purpose
.
And
then
—
well
considering
in
what
light
most
men
,
in
their
hearts
,
regarded
women
—
if
one
might
judge
from
their
laws
and
their
conduct
and
their
literature
,
and
the
society
that
they
had
organized
—
admiration
from
this
sex
was
a
thing
scarcely
to
be
endured
.
Yet
superficially
,
it
was
gratifying
.
Why
it
should
be
so
,
was
difficult
to
say
,
since
it
scarcely
imposed
upon
one
's
very
vanity
.
Yet
it
was
easy
enough
to
understand
how
women
who
had
no
very
dominant
interest
in
life
,
might
come
to
have
a
thirst
for
masculine
homage
and
for
power
over
men
till
it
became
like
the
gambler
's
passion
for
play
;
and
surely
it
had
something
in
it
of
the
same
character
.
The
steamer
was
stopping
now
at
St.
Cloud
.
Yielding
to
an
impulse
,
Hadria
alighted
at
the
landing-stage
and
walked
on
through
the
little
town
towards
the
palace
.
The
sun
was
deliciously
hot
;
its
rays
struck
through
to
the
skin
,
and
seemed
to
pour
in
life
and
well-being
.
The
wayfarer
stood
looking
up
the
steep
green
avenue
,
resting
for
a
moment
,
before
she
began
the
ascent
.
At
the
top
of
the
hill
she
paused
again
to
look
out
over
Paris
,
which
lay
spread
far
and
wide
beneath
her
,
glittering
and
brilliant
;
the
Eiffel
Tower
rising
above
domes
and
spires
,
in
solitary
inconsequence
.
It
seemed
to
her
as
if
she
were
looking
upon
the
world
and
upon
life
,
for
the
last
time
.
A
few
weeks
hence
,
would
she
be
able
to
stand
there
and
see
the
gay
city
at
her
feet
?
She
plunged
back
along
one
of
the
converging
avenues
,
yielding
to
the
fascination
of
green
alleys
leading
one
knows
not
whither
.
Wandering
on
for
some
time
,
she
finally
drifted
down
hill
again
,
towards
the
stately
little
garden
near
the
palace
.
She
was
surprised
by
a
hurrying
step
behind
her
,
and
Jouffroy
's
voice
in
her
ear
.
She
was
about
to
greet
him
in
her
usual
fashion
,
when
he
stopped
her
by
plunging
head
foremost
into
a
startling
tirade
—
about
her
art
,
and
her
country
,
and
her
genius
,
and
his
despair
;
and
finally
his
resolve
that
she
should
not
belong
to
the
accursed
list
of
women
who
gave
up
their
art
for
“
la
famille
.
”
The
more
Hadria
tried
to
discover
what
had
happened
and
what
he
meant
,
the
faster
he
spoke
and
the
more
wildly
he
gesticulated
.
He
had
seen
how
she
was
drifting
away
from
her
work
and
becoming
entangled
in
little
affairs
of
no
importance
,
and
he
would
not
permit
it
.
He
cared
not
what
her
circumstances
might
be
;
she
had
a
great
talent
that
she
had
no
right
to
sacrifice
to
any
circumstances
whatever
.
He
had
come
to
save
her
.
Not
finding
her
at
her
apartement
,
he
had
concluded
that
she
had
taken
refuge
at
her
beloved
St.
Cloud
.
Mon
Dieu
!
was
he
to
allow
her
to
be
taken
away
from
her
work
,
dragged
back
to
a
narrow
circle
,
crushed
,
broken
,
ruined
—
she
who
could
give
such
a
sublime
gift
to
her
century
—
but
it
was
impossible
!
It
would
tear
his
heart
.
He
would
not
permit
it
;
she
must
promise
him
not
to
allow
herself
to
be
persuaded
to
abandon
her
purpose
,
no
matter
on
what
pretext
they
tried
to
lure
her
.
Hadria
,
in
vain
,
enquired
the
cause
of
this
sudden
excitement
.
Jouffroy
only
repeated
his
exhortations
.
Why
did
she
not
cut
herself
entirely
adrift
from
her
country
,
her
ties
?
“
They
are
to
you
,
Madame
,
an
oppression
,
a
weariness
,
a
—
”
“
M
.
Jouffroy
,
I
have
never
spoken
to
you
about
these
things
.
I
cannot
see
how
you
are
in
a
position
to
judge
.
”
“
Ah
,
but
I
know
.
Have
I
not
heard
cette
chère
Madame
Bertaux
describe
the
life
of
an
English
village
?
And
have
I
not
seen
—
?
”
“
Seen
what
?
”
“
Cette
dame
.
I
have
seen
her
at
your
apartment
this
afternoon
.
Do
not
annihilate
me
,
Madame
;
I
mean
not
to
offend
you
.
The
lady
has
come
from
England
on
purpose
to
entrap
you
;
she
came
last
night
,
and
she
stays
at
the
Hotel
du
Louvre
.
She
spoke
to
me
of
you
.
”
Jouffroy
raised
his
hands
to
heaven
.
“
Ha
!
then
I
understood
,
and
I
fled
hither
to
save
you
.
”
“
Tell
me
,
tell
me
quickly
,
Monsieur
,
has
she
fair
hair
and
large
grey
eyes
.
Is
she
tall
?
”
No
,
the
lady
was
small
,
with
dark
hair
,
and
brown
,
clever
eyes
.
“
A
lady
,
elegant
,
well-dressed
,
but
,
ah
!
a
woman
to
destroy
the
soul
of
an
artist
merely
by
her
presence
.
I
told
her
that
you
had
decided
to
remain
in
France
,
to
adopt
it
as
your
country
,
for
it
was
the
country
of
your
soul
!
”
“
Good
heavens
!
”
exclaimed
Hadria
,
unable
to
repress
a
little
burst
of
laughter
,
in
spite
of
her
disappointment
and
foreboding
.
“
I
told
her
that
your
friends
would
not
let
you
go
back
to
England
,
to
the
land
of
fogs
,
the
land
of
the
bourgeois
.
The
lady
seemed
astonished
,
even
indignant
,
”
continued
Jouffroy
,
waving
his
hands
excitedly
,
“
and
she
endeavoured
to
make
me
silent
,
but
she
did
not
have
success
,
I
promise
you
.
I
appealed
to
her
.
I
pointed
out
to
her
your
unique
power
.
I
reminded
her
that
such
power
is
a
gift
supreme
to
the
world
,
which
the
world
must
not
lose
.
For
the
making
of
little
ones
and
the
care
of
the
ménage
,
there
were
other
women
,
but
you
—
you
were
a
priestess
in
the
temple
of
art
,
you
were
without
prejudice
,
without
the
bourgeois
conscience
,
grâce
au
ciel
!
you
had
the
religion
of
the
artist
,
and
your
worship
was
paid
at
the
shrine
of
Apollo
.
Enfin
,
I
counselled
this
elegant
lady
to
return
to
England
and
to
leave
you
in
peace
.
Always
with
a
perfect
politeness
,
”
added
Jouffroy
,
panting
from
excess
of
emotion
.
Hadria
tried
in
vain
to
gather
the
object
of
this
sudden
visit
on
the
part
of
Henriette
(
for
Henriette
the
elegant
lady
must
certainly
be
)
.
“
I
must
return
at
once
,
”
she
said
.
“
I
fear
something
must
have
gone
wrong
at
home
.
”
Jouffroy
danced
with
fury
.
“
But
I
tell
you
,
Madame
,
that
she
will
drag
you
back
to
your
fogs
;
she
will
tell
you
some
foolish
story
,
she
will
address
herself
to
your
pity
.
Your
family
has
doubtless
become
ill.
Families
have
that
habit
when
they
desire
to
achieve
something
.
Bah
,
it
is
easy
to
become
ill
when
one
is
angry
,
and
so
to
make
oneself
pitied
and
obeyed
.
It
is
a
common
usage
.
Madame
,
beware
;
it
is
for
you
the
critical
moment
.
One
must
choose
.
”
“
It
is
not
always
a
matter
of
choice
,
M
.
Jouffroy
.
”
“
Always
,
”
he
insisted
.
He
endeavoured
to
induce
her
to
linger
,
to
make
a
decision
on
the
spot
.
But
Hadria
hastened
on
towards
the
river
.
Jouffroy
followed
in
despair
.
He
ceased
not
to
urge
upon
her
the
peril
of
the
moment
and
the
need
for
resolute
action
.
He
promised
to
help
her
by
every
means
in
his
power
,
to
watch
over
her
career
,
to
assist
her
in
bringing
her
gift
to
maturity
.
Never
before
had
he
felt
a
faith
so
profound
,
or
an
interest
so
fervid
in
the
genius
of
any
woman
.
One
had
,
after
all
,
regarded
them
(
“
les
femmes
”
)
as
accomplished
animals
.
“
But
of
whom
one
demands
the
duties
of
human
beings
and
the
courage
of
heroes
,
”
added
Hadria
.
“
Justement
,
”
cried
Jouffroy
.
But
Madame
had
taught
him
a
superb
truth
.
For
her
,
he
felt
a
sentiment
of
admiration
and
reverence
the
most
profound
.
She
had
been
to
him
a
revelation
.
He
entreated
her
to
bestow
upon
him
the
privilege
of
watching
over
her
career
.
Let
her
only
make
the
wise
decision
now
,
everything
would
arrange
itself
.
It
needed
only
courage
.
“
This
is
the
moment
for
decision
.
Remain
now
among
us
,
and
pursue
your
studies
with
a
calm
mind
,
and
I
promise
you
—
I
,
Jouffroy
,
who
have
the
right
to
speak
on
this
matter
—
I
promise
you
shall
have
a
success
beyond
the
wildest
dreams
of
your
ambition
.
Madame
,
you
do
not
guess
your
own
power
.
I
know
how
your
genius
can
be
saved
to
the
world
;
I
know
the
artist
's
nature
.
Have
I
not
had
the
experience
of
twenty
years
?
I
know
what
feeds
and
rouses
it
,
and
I
know
what
kills
it
.
And
this
I
tell
you
,
Madame
,
that
if
you
stay
here
,
you
have
a
stupendous
future
before
you
;
if
you
return
to
your
fogs
and
your
tea-parties
—
ah
,
then
,
Madame
,
your
genius
will
die
and
your
heart
will
be
broken
.
”
CHAPTER
XXXVI
.
IT
was
with
great
reluctance
that
Jouffroy
acceded
to
Hadria
's
wish
to
return
home
alone
.
She
watched
the
river
banks
,
and
the
boats
coming
and
passing
,
with
a
look
of
farewell
in
her
eyes
.
She
meant
to
hold
out
to
the
utmost
limits
of
the
possible
,
but
she
knew
that
the
possible
had
limits
,
and
she
awaited
judgment
at
the
bar
of
destiny
.
She
hurried
home
on
arriving
at
the
quay
,
and
found
Henriette
waiting
for
her
.
“
What
is
it
?
Tell
me
at
once
,
if
anything
is
wrong
.
”
“
Then
you
knew
I
was
here
!
”
exclaimed
Miss
Temperley
.
“
Yes
;
M
.
Jouffroy
told
me
.
He
found
me
at
St.
Cloud
.
Quick
,
Henriette
,
do
n't
keep
me
in
suspense
.
”
“
There
is
nothing
of
immediate
seriousness
,
”
Henriette
replied
,
and
her
sister-in-law
drew
a
breath
of
relief
.
Tea
was
brought
in
by
Hannah
,
and
a
few
questions
were
asked
and
answered
.
Miss
Temperley
having
been
installed
in
an
easy
chair
,
and
her
cloak
and
hat
removed
,
said
that
her
stay
in
Paris
was
uncertain
as
to
length
.
It
would
depend
on
many
things
.
Hadria
rang
for
the
tray
to
be
taken
away
,
after
tea
was
over
,
and
as
Hannah
closed
the
door
,
a
sensation
of
sick
apprehension
overcame
her
,
for
a
moment
.
Henriette
had
obviously
come
to
Paris
in
order
to
recapture
the
fugitive
,
and
meant
to
employ
all
her
tact
in
the
delicate
mission
.
She
was
devoted
to
Hubert
and
the
children
,
heart
and
soul
,
and
would
face
anything
on
their
behalf
,
including
the
present
disagreeable
task
.
Hadria
looked
at
her
sister-in-law
with
admiration
.
She
offered
homage
to
the
prowess
of
the
enemy
.
Miss
Temperley
held
a
commanding
position
,
fortified
by
ideas
and
customs
centuries
old
,
and
supported
by
allies
on
every
side
.
It
ran
through
Hadria
's
mind
that
it
was
possible
to
refuse
to
allow
the
subject
to
be
broached
,
and
thus
escape
the
encounter
altogether
.
It
would
save
many
words
on
both
sides
.
But
Henriette
had
always
been
in
Hubert
's
confidence
,
and
it
occurred
to
Hadria
that
it
might
be
well
to
define
her
own
position
once
more
,
since
it
was
thus
about
to
be
directly
and
frankly
attacked
.
Moreover
,
Hadria
began
to
be
fired
with
the
spirit
of
battle
.
It
was
not
merely
for
herself
,
but
on
behalf
of
her
sex
,
that
she
longed
to
repudiate
the
insult
that
seemed
to
her
,
to
be
involved
in
Henriette
's
whole
philosophy
.
However
,
if
the
enemy
shewed
no
signs
of
hostility
,
Hadria
resolved
that
she
also
would
keep
the
truce
.
Miss
Temperley
had
already
mentioned
that
Mrs.
Fullerton
was
now
staying
at
the
Red
House
,
for
change
of
air
.
She
had
been
far
from
well
,
and
of
course
was
worrying
very
much
over
these
money
troubles
and
perils
ahead
,
as
well
as
about
Hadria
's
present
action
.
Mrs.
Fullerton
had
herself
suggested
that
Henriette
should
go
over
to
Paris
to
see
what
could
be
done
to
patch
up
the
quarrel
.
“
Ah
!
”
exclaimed
Hadria
,
and
a
cloud
settled
on
her
brow
.
Henriette
had
indeed
come
armed
cap
à
pie
!
There
was
a
significant
pause
.
“
And
your
mission
,
”
said
Hadria
at
length
,
“
is
to
recapture
the
lost
bird
.
”
“
We
are
considering
your
own
good
,
”
murmured
Miss
Temperley
.
“
If
I
have
not
always
done
what
I
ought
to
have
done
in
my
life
,
it
is
not
for
want
of
guidance
and
advice
from
others
,
”
said
Hadria
with
a
smile
and
a
sigh
.
“
You
are
giving
everyone
so
much
pain
,
Hadria
.
Do
you
never
think
of
that
?
”
There
was
another
long
pause
.
The
two
women
sat
opposite
one
another
.
Miss
Temperley
's
eyes
were
bent
on
the
carpet
;
Hadria
's
on
a
patch
of
blue
sky
that
could
be
seen
through
a
side
street
,
opposite
.
“
If
you
would
use
your
ability
on
behalf
of
your
sex
instead
of
against
it
,
Henriette
,
women
would
have
cause
to
bless
you
,
for
all
time
!
”
“
Ah
!
if
you
did
but
know
it
,
I
am
using
what
ability
I
have
on
their
behalf
,
”
Miss
Temperley
replied
.
“
I
am
trying
to
keep
them
true
to
their
noble
mission
.
But
I
did
not
come
to
discuss
general
questions
.
I
came
to
appeal
to
your
best
self
,
Hadria
.
”
“
I
am
ready
,
”
said
Hadria
.
“
Only
,
before
you
start
,
I
want
you
to
remember
clearly
what
took
place
at
Dunaghee
before
my
marriage
;
for
I
foresee
that
our
disagreement
will
chiefly
hang
upon
your
lapse
of
memory
on
that
point
,
and
upon
my
perhaps
inconveniently
distinct
recollection
of
those
events
.
”
“
I
wish
to
lay
before
you
certain
facts
and
certain
results
of
your
present
conduct
,
”
said
Henriette
.
“
Very
good
.
I
wish
to
lay
before
you
certain
facts
and
certain
results
of
your
past
conduct
.
”
“
Ah
!
do
not
let
us
wrangle
,
Hadria
.
”
“
I
do
n't
wish
to
wrangle
,
but
I
must
keep
hold
of
these
threads
that
you
seem
always
to
drop
.
And
then
there
is
another
point
:
when
I
talked
of
leaving
home
,
it
was
not
I
who
suggested
that
it
should
be
for
ever
.
”
“
I
know
,
I
know
,
”
cried
Henriette
hastily
.
“
I
have
again
and
again
pointed
out
to
Hubert
how
wrong
he
was
in
that
,
and
how
he
gave
you
a
pretext
for
what
you
have
done
.
I
admit
it
and
regret
it
deeply
.
Hubert
lost
his
temper
;
that
is
the
fact
of
the
matter
.
He
thought
himself
bitterly
wronged
by
you
.
”
Quite
so
;
he
felt
it
a
bitter
wrong
that
I
should
claim
that
liberty
of
action
which
I
warned
him
before
our
marriage
that
I
should
claim
.
He
made
no
objection
then
:
on
the
contrary
,
he
professed
to
agree
with
me
;
and
declared
that
he
did
not
care
what
I
might
think
but
now
he
says
that
in
acting
as
I
have
acted
,
I
have
forfeited
my
position
,
and
need
not
return
to
the
Red
House
.
”
“
I
know
.
But
he
spoke
in
great
haste
and
anger
.
He
has
made
me
his
confidante
.
”
“
And
his
ambassador
?
”
Henriette
shook
her
head
.
No
;
she
had
acted
entirely
on
her
own
responsibility
.
She
could
not
bear
to
see
her
brother
suffering
.
He
had
felt
the
quarrel
deeply
.
“
On
account
of
the
stupid
talk
,
”
said
Hadria
.
“
That
will
soon
blow
over
.
”
“
On
account
of
the
talk
partly
.
You
know
his
sensitiveness
about
anything
that
concerns
his
domestic
life
.
He
acutely
feels
your
leaving
the
children
,
Hadria
.
Try
to
put
yourself
in
his
place
.
Would
you
not
feel
it
?
”
“
If
I
were
a
man
with
two
children
of
whom
I
was
ex-extremely
fond
,
I
have
no
doubt
that
I
should
feel
it
very
much
indeed
if
I
lost
an
intelligent
and
trustworthy
superintendent
,
whose
services
assured
the
children
's
welfare
,
and
relieved
me
of
all
anxiety
on
their
account
.
”
“
If
you
are
going
to
take
this
hard
tone
,
Hadria
,
I
fear
you
will
never
listen
to
reason
.
”
“
Henriette
,
when
people
look
popular
sentiments
squarely
in
the
face
,
they
are
always
called
hard
,
or
worse
.
You
have
kept
yourself
thoroughly
informed
of
our
affairs
.
Whose
parental
sentiments
were
gratified
by
the
advent
of
those
children
—
Hubert
's
or
mine
?
”
“
But
you
are
a
mother
.
”
Hadria
laughed
.
“
You
play
into
my
hands
,
Henriette
.
You
tacitly
acknowledge
that
it
was
not
for
my
gratification
that
those
children
were
brought
into
the
world
(
a
common
story
,
let
me
observe
)
,
and
then
you
remind
me
that
I
am
a
mother
!
Your
mentor
must
indeed
be
slumbering
.
You
are
simply
scathing
—
on
my
behalf
!
Have
you
come
all
the
way
from
England
for
this
?
”
“
You
wo
n't
understand
.
I
mean
that
motherhood
has
duties
.
You
ca
n't
deny
that
.
”
“
I
can
and
I
do
.
”
Miss
Temperley
stared
.
“
You
will
find
no
human
being
to
agree
with
you
,
”
she
said
at
length
.
“
That
does
not
alter
my
opinion
.
”
“
Oh
,
Hadria
,
explain
yourself
!
You
utter
paradoxes
.
I
want
to
understand
your
point
of
view
.
”
It
is
simple
enough
.
I
deny
that
motherhood
has
duties
except
when
it
is
absolutely
free
,
absolutely
uninfluenced
by
the
pressure
of
opinion
,
or
by
any
of
the
innumerable
tyrannies
that
most
children
have
now
to
thank
for
their
existence
.
”
Miss
Temperley
shook
her
head
.
“
I
do
n't
see
that
any
‘tyranny
,
’
as
you
call
it
,
exonerates
a
mother
from
her
duty
to
her
child
.
”
“
There
we
differ
.
Motherhood
,
in
our
present
social
state
,
is
the
sign
and
seal
as
well
as
the
means
and
method
of
a
woman
's
bondage
.
It
forges
chains
of
her
own
flesh
and
blood
;
it
weaves
cords
of
her
own
love
and
instinct
.
She
agonizes
,
and
the
fruit
of
her
agony
is
not
even
legally
hers
.
Name
me
a
position
more
abject
!
A
woman
with
a
child
in
her
arms
is
,
to
me
,
the
symbol
of
an
abasement
,
an
indignity
,
more
complete
,
more
disfiguring
and
terrible
,
than
any
form
of
humiliation
that
the
world
has
ever
seen
.
”
“
You
must
be
mad
!
”
exclaimed
Miss
Temperley
.
“
That
symbol
has
stood
to
the
world
for
all
that
is
sweetest
and
holiest
.
”
“
I
know
it
has
!
So
profound
has
been
our
humiliation
!
”
“
I
do
n't
know
what
to
say
to
anyone
so
wrong-headed
and
so
twisted
in
sentiment
.
”
Hadria
smiled
thoughtfully
.
“
While
I
am
about
it
,
I
may
as
well
finish
this
disclosure
of
feeling
,
which
,
again
I
warn
you
,
is
not
peculiar
to
myself
,
however
you
may
lay
that
flattering
unction
to
your
soul
.
I
have
seen
and
heard
of
many
a
saddening
evidence
of
our
sex
's
slavery
since
I
came
to
this
terrible
and
wonderful
city
:
the
crude
,
obvious
buying
and
selling
that
we
all
shudder
at
;
but
hideous
as
it
is
,
to
me
it
is
far
less
awful
than
this
other
respectable
form
of
degradation
that
everyone
glows
and
smirks
over
.
”
Miss
Temperley
clasped
her
hands
in
despair
.
“
I
simply
ca
n't
understand
you
.
What
you
say
is
rank
heresy
against
all
that
is
most
beautiful
in
human
nature
.
”
“
Surely
the
rank
heresy
is
to
be
laid
at
the
door
of
those
who
degrade
and
enslave
that
which
they
assert
to
be
most
beautiful
in
human
nature
.
But
I
am
not
speaking
to
convince
;
merely
to
shew
where
you
cannot
count
upon
me
for
a
point
of
attack
.
Try
something
else
.
”
“
But
it
is
so
strange
,
so
insane
,
as
it
seems
to
me
.
Do
you
mean
to
throw
contempt
on
motherhood
per
se
?
”
“
I
am
not
discussing
motherhood
per
se
;
no
woman
has
yet
been
in
a
position
to
know
what
it
is
per
se
,
strange
as
it
may
appear
.
No
woman
has
yet
experienced
it
apart
from
the
enormous
pressure
of
law
and
opinion
that
has
,
always
,
formed
part
of
its
inevitable
conditions
.
The
illegal
mother
is
hounded
by
her
fellows
in
one
direction
;
the
legal
mother
is
urged
and
incited
in
another
:
free
motherhood
is
unknown
amongst
us
.
I
speak
of
it
as
it
is
.
To
speak
of
it
per
se
,
for
the
present
,
is
to
discuss
the
transcendental
.
”
There
was
a
moment
's
excited
pause
,
and
Hadria
then
went
on
more
rapidly
.
“
You
know
well
enough
,
Henriette
,
what
thousands
of
women
there
are
to
whom
the
birth
of
their
children
is
an
intolerable
burden
,
and
a
fierce
misery
from
which
many
would
gladly
seek
escape
by
death
.
And
indeed
many
do
seek
escape
by
death
.
What
is
the
use
of
this
eternal
conspiracy
of
silence
about
that
which
every
woman
out
of
her
teens
knows
as
well
as
she
knows
her
own
name
?
”
But
Henriette
preferred
to
ignore
that
side
of
her
experience
.
She
murmured
something
about
the
maternal
instinct
,
and
its
potency
.
“
I
do
n't
deny
the
potency
of
the
instinct
,
”
said
Hadria
,
“
but
I
do
say
that
it
is
shamefully
presumed
upon
.
Strong
it
obviously
must
be
,
if
industrious
cultivation
and
encouragements
and
threats
and
exhortations
can
make
it
so
!
All
the
Past
as
well
as
all
the
weight
of
opinion
and
training
in
the
Present
has
been
at
work
on
it
,
thrusting
and
alluring
and
coercing
the
woman
to
her
man-allotted
fate
.
”
“
Nature
-allotted
,
if
you
please
,
”
said
Henriette
.
“
There
is
no
need
for
alluring
or
coercing
.
”
“
Why
do
it
then
?
Now
,
be
frank
,
Henriette
,
and
try
not
to
be
offended
.
Would
you
feel
no
sense
of
indignity
in
performing
a
function
of
this
sort
(
however
noble
and
so
on
you
might
think
it
per
se
)
,
you
knew
that
it
would
be
demanded
of
you
as
a
duty
,
if
you
did
not
welcome
it
as
a
joy
?
”
“
I
should
acknowledge
it
as
a
duty
,
if
I
did
not
welcome
it
as
a
joy
.
”
“
In
other
words
,
you
would
accept
the
position
of
a
slave
.
”
“
How
so
?
”
“
By
bartering
your
womanhood
,
by
using
these
powers
of
body
,
in
return
for
food
and
shelter
and
social
favour
,
or
for
the
sake
of
so-called
‘duty’
irrespective
of
—
perhaps
in
direct
opposition
to
your
feelings
.
How
then
do
you
differ
from
the
slave
woman
who
produces
a
progeny
of
young
slaves
,
to
be
disposed
of
as
shall
seem
good
to
her
perhaps
indulgent
master
?
I
see
no
essential
difference
.
”
“
I
see
the
difference
between
honour
and
ignominy
,
”
said
Henriette
.
Hadria
shook
her
head
,
sadly
.
“
The
differences
are
all
in
detail
and
in
circumstance
.
I
am
sorry
if
