I have said nothing yet to Louis; it would be too good an opening for his ridicule.  I shall tell him simply that you are going to be married, and that you wish it kept secret.  Unluckily, you need neither mother nor sister for your bridal evening.  We are in October now; like a brave woman, you are grappling with winter first.  If it were not a question of marriage, I should say you were taking the bull by the horns.  In any case, you will have in me the most discreet and intelligent of friends.  That mysterious region, known as the centre of Africa, has swallowed up many travelers, and you seem to me to be launching on an expedition which, in the domain of sentiment, corresponds to those where so many explorers have perished, whether in the sands or at the hands of natives.  Your desert is, happily, only two leagues from Paris, so I can wish you quite cheerfully, “A safe journey and speedy return.”

LI

THE COMTESSE DE L’ESTORADE TO MME. MARIE GASTON 1835.

What has come to you, my dear?  After a silence of two years, surely Renee has a right to feel anxious about Louise.  So this is love!  It brushes aside and scatters to the winds a friendship such as ours!  You must admit that, devoted as I am to my children—­more even perhaps than you to your Gaston—­a mother’s love has something expansive about it which does not allow it to steal from other affections, or interfere with the claims of friendship.  I miss your letters, I long for a sight of your dear, sweet face.  Oh!  Louise, my heart has only conjecture to feed upon!

As regards ourselves, I will try and tell you everything as briefly as possible.

On reading your last letter but one, I find some stinging comments on our political situation.  You mocked at us for keeping the post in the Audit Department, which, as well as the title of Count, Louis owed to the favor of Charles X. But I should like to know, please, how it would be possible out of an income of forty thousand livres, thirty thousand of which go with the entail, to give a suitable start in life to Athenais and my poor little beggar Rene.  Was it not a duty to live on our salary and prudently allow the income of the estate to accumulate?  In this way we shall, in twenty years, have put together about six hundred thousand francs, which will provide portions for my daughter and for Rene, whom I destine for the navy.  The poor little chap will have an income of ten thousand livres, and perhaps we may contrive to leave him in cash enough to bring his portion up to the amount of his sister’s.

When he is Captain, my beggar will be able to make a wealthy marriage, and take a position in society as good as his elder brother’s.