So I mercilessly slander all heiresses and capricious women of fashion that I may incite Roger’s confidant to relate me my own history.  I forgot to mention that since my arrival here M. de Meilhan has been every day to call on Madame Taverneau.  She evidently imagines herself the object of his visits.  I am of a different opinion.  Indeed, I fear I have made a conquest of this dark-eyed young poet, which is not at all flattering to me.  This sudden adoration shows that he has not a very elevated opinion of me.  How he will laugh when he recognises this adventurous widow in the proud wife of his friend!

You reproach me bitterly for having sacrificed you to Madame Taverneau.  Cruel Prefect that you are, go and accuse the government and your consul-general of this unjust preference.

Can I reach Grenoble in three hours, as I do Rouen?  Can I return from Grenoble to Paris in three hours; fly when I wish, reappear when ’tis necessary?  In a word have you a railway?  No!  Well, then, trust to my experience and believe that where locomotion is concerned there is an end to friendship, gratitude, sympathy and devotion.  Nothing is to be considered but railways, roads, wagons that jolt you to death, but carry you to your destination, and stages that upset and never arrive.

We cannot visit the friends we love best, but those we can get away from with the greatest facility.

Besides, for a heroine wishing to hide herself, the asylum you offer has nothing mysterious, it is merely a Thebais of a prefecture; and there I am afraid of compromising you.

A Parisian in a provincial town is always standing on a volcano, one unlucky word may cause destruction.

How difficult it is to be a Prefect!  You have commenced very properly—­four children!  All that is necessary to begin with.  They are such convenient excuses.  To be a good Prefect one must have four children.  They are inexhaustible pretexts for escaping social horrors; if you wish to decline a compromising invitation, your dear little girl has got the whooping cough; when you wish to avoid dining a friend in transitu, your eldest son has a dreadful fever; you desire to escape a banquet unadorned by the presence of the big-wigs—­brilliant idea! all four children have the measles.

Now confess you did well to have the four lovely children!  Without them you would be conquered in spite of your wisdom; it requires so much skill for a Parisian to live officially in a province!

There all the women are clever; the most insignificant citizen’s wife can outwit an old diplomat.  What science they display under the most trying and peculiar circumstances!  What profound combination in their plans of vengeance!  What prudence in their malice!  What patience in their cruelty!  It is dreadful!  I will visit you when you reside in the country, but while you reign over a prefecture, I have for you the respectful horror that a democratic mind has for all authorities.