“Better or worse than that.  This Catholic lives with a woman whom he brought back from Italy,—­a species of Goddess of Liberty, who serves him as model and housekeeper.”

“What a tongue that Bixiou has; he keeps a regular intelligence office,” said some of the little group as it broke up at the offer of tea from Madame de Montcornet.

You see from this, my dear Monsieur Gaston, that the political aspirations of Monsieur Dorlange are not regarded seriously by his friends.  I do not doubt that you will write to him soon to thank him for the warmth with which he defended you from calumny.  That courageous devotion has given me a true sympathy for him, and I shall hope that you will use the influence of early friendship to turn his mind from the deplorable path he seems about to enter.  I make no judgment on the other peculiarities attributed to him by Monsieur Bixiou, who has a cutting and a flippant tongue; I am more inclined to think, with Joseph Bridau, that such mistakes are venial.  But a fault to be forever regretted, according to my ideas, will be that of abandoning his present career to fling himself into the maelstrom of politics.  You are yourself interested in turning him from this idea, if you strongly desire to entrust that work to his hands.  Preach to him as strongly as you can the wisdom of abiding by his art.

On the subject of the explanation I advised you to have with him, I must tell you that your task is greatly simplified.  You need not enter into any of the details which would be to you so painful.  Madame de l’Estorade, to whom I spoke of the role of mediator which I wanted her to play, accepted the part very willingly.  She feels confident of being able, after half an hour’s conversation, to remove the painful feeling from your friend’s mind, and drive away the clouds between you.

While writing this long letter, I have sent for news of his condition.  He is going on favorably, and the physicians say that, barring all unforeseen accidents, his friends need have no anxiety as to his state.  It seems he is an object of general interest, for, to use the expression of my valet, people are “making cue” to leave their names at his door.  It must be added that the Duke de Rhetore is not liked, which may partly account for this sympathy.  The duke is stiff and haughty, but there is little in him.  What a contrast the brother is to her who lives in our tenderest memory.  She was simple and kind, yet she never derogated from her dignity; nothing equalled the lovable qualities of her heart but the charms of her mind.

IV

         THE COMTESSE DE L’ESTORAADE TO MADAME OCTAVE DE CAMPS

Paris, February, 1839.