so that our glory depends less upon a real virtue than upon auspicious circumstances.  The hope of filling an honorable place in their imagination, ought not to be the sole incentive to the practice of virtue, it should be the desire to have a good opinion of ourselves, and to be able to say, whatever may be the opinion of the public:  I have nothing with which to reproach myself.  But, what matters it to what we owe our virtue, provided we have it?

“I was therefore convinced that I could not do better, when I reappeared in the world, than to don the mask I deemed the most favorable to my peace of mind and to my glory.  I became closely attached to the friend who aided me with her counsel.  She is the Marquise de ——­, a relative.  Our sentiments were in perfect accord.  We frequented the same society.  Charity for our neighbors was truly not our favorite virtue.  We made our appearance in a social circle as into a ball room, where we were the only masks.  We indulged in all sorts of follies, we goaded the absurd into showing themselves in their true character.  After having amused ourselves in this comedy, we had not yet reached the limit of our pleasure, it was renewed in private interviews.  How absolutely idiotic the women appeared to us, and the men, how vacuous, fatuous, and impertinent!  If we found any who could inspire fear in a woman’s heart, that is, esteem, we broke their heart by our airs, by affecting utter indifference for them, and by the allurements we heaped upon those who deserved them the least.  By force of our experience, we came near believing, that in order to be virtuous, it was necessary to frequent bad company.

“This course of conduct guaranteed us for a long time against the snares of love, and saved us from the dreadful weariness a sad and more mournful virtue would have spread over our lives.  Frivolous, imperious, bold, even coquettish if you will, in the presence of men, but solid, reasonable, and virtuous in our own eyes, we were happy in this character.  We never met a man we were afraid of.  Those who might have been redoubtable, were obliged to make themselves ridiculous before being permitted to enjoy our society.

“But what finally led me to doubt the truth of my principles, is they did not always guard me from the dangers I wished to avoid.  I have learned through my own experience, that love is a traitor with whom it will not do to trifle.  I do not know by what fatality, the Marquis de Sevigne was able to render my projects futile.  In spite of all my precautions he has found the way to my heart.  However much I resisted him I was impelled to love him, and my reason is of no more use to me except to justify in my own eyes the inclination I feel for him.  I would be happy if he never gave me an occasion to change my sentiments.  I have been unable to hide from him my true thoughts, I was afraid at first that he might deem me actually as ridiculous as I seemed to be.  And when my sincerity shall render me less amiable in his eyes (for I know that frivolity captures men more than real merit), I wish to show myself to him in my true colors.  I should blush to owe nothing to his heart but a perpetual lie of my whole being.”