ring to inquire for you.--You do not yet know the literary world.
There are glorious exceptions, no doubt; but these men of letters drag
terrible evils in their train; among these I account publicity as one
of the greatest, for it blights everything. A woman may commit herself
with--"

"With a Public Prosecutor?" the Baronne put in with a smile.

"Well!--and then after a rupture there is still something to fall back
on; the world has known nothing. But with a more or less famous man the
public is thoroughly informed. Why look there! What an example you have
close at hand! You are sitting back to back with the Comtesse Marie
Vandenesse, who was within an ace of committing the utmost folly for a
more celebrated man than Lousteau--for Nathan--and now they do not even
recognize each other. After going to the very edge of the precipice, the
Countess was saved, no one knows how; she neither left her husband nor
her house; but as a famous man was scorned, she was the talk of the town
for a whole winter. But her husband's great fortune, great name,
and high position, but for the admirable management of that true
statesman--whose conduct to his wife, they say, was perfect--she would
have been ruined; in her position no other woman would have remained
respected as she is."

"And how was Sancerre when you came away?" asked Madame de la Baudraye,
to change the subject.

"Monsieur de la Baudraye announced that your expected confinement after
so many years made it necessary that it should take place in Paris,
and that he had insisted on your going to be attended by the first
physicians," replied Monsieur de Clagny, guessing what it was that Dinah
most wanted to know. "And so, in spite of the commotion to which your
departure gave rise, you still have your legal status."

"Why!" she exclaimed, "can Monsieur de la Baudraye still hope----"

"Your husband, madame, did what he always does--made a little
calculation."

The lawyer left the box when the journalist returned, bowing with
dignity.

"You are a greater hit than the piece," said Etienne to Dinah.

This brief triumph brought greater happiness to the poor woman than she
had ever known in the whole of her provincial existence; still, as they
left the theatre she was very grave.

"What ails you, my Didine?" asked Lousteau.

"I am wondering how a woman succeeds in conquering the world?"

"There are two ways. One is by being Madame de Stael, the other is by
having two hun