beautiful might be inspired by love, both in herself,
and in him that should be worthy of her. Confiding
in her courage, and the nobleness of her character,
proud of the example that she wished to give to other
women, knowing that all eyes would be fixed enviously
upon her, she felt, as it were, only too sure of herself;
far from fearing that she should make a bad choice,
she rather feared, that she should not find any from
whom to choose, so pure and perfect was her taste.
And, even had she met with her own ideal, she had
views so singular and so just, so extraordinary and
yet so sensible, with regard to the independence and
dignity of woman, that, inexorably determined to make
no concession upon this head, she asked herself if
the man of her choice would ever accept the hitherto
unheard-of conditions that she meant to impose.
In recalling to her remembrance the possible suitors
that she had met in the world, she remembered also
the dark, but true picture, which Rodin had drawn with
so much caustic bitterness. She remembered, too,
not without a certain pride, the encouragement this
man had given her, not by flattery, but by advising
her to follow out and accomplish a great, generous,
and beautiful design. The current or the caprice
of fancy soon brought Adrienne to think of Djalma.
Whilst she congratulated herself on having paid to
her royal kinsman the duties of a kingly hospitality,
the young lady was far from regarding the prince as
the hero of her future.
And first she said to herself, not unreasonably, that
this half-savage boy, with passions, if not untamable,
yet untamed, transported on a sudden into the midst
of a refined civilization, would be inevitably destined
to fiery trials and violent transformations. Now
Mdlle. de Cardoville, having nothing masculine or
despotic in her character, had no wish to civilize
the young savage. Therefore, notwithstanding the
interest, or rather because of the interest, which
she felt for the young Indian, she was firmly resolved,
not to make herself known to him, till after the lapse
of two or three months; and she determined also, that,
even if Djalma should learn by chance that she was
his relation, she would not receive his visit.
She desired, if not to try him, at least to leave
him free in all his acts, so that he might expend the
first fire of his passions, good or bad. But
not wishing to abandon him quite without defence to
the perils of Parisian life, she requested the Count
de Montbron, in confidence, to introduce Prince Djalma
to the best company in Paris, and to enlighten him
by the counsels of his long experience. M. de
Montbron had received the request of Mdlle. de Cardoville
with the greatest pleasure, taking delight, he said,
in starting his royal tiger in drawing-rooms, and
bringing him into contact with the flower of the fine
ladies and gentlemen of Paris, offering at the same
time to wager any amount in favor of his half-savage
pupil.