maid who had refused him at first; carrying
her off from his rival, the darling of the aristocratic quarter, a
certain Chevalier whose illustrious name will be sufficiently hidden by
suppressing it altogether, in accordance with the usage formerly adopted
in the place itself, where he was known by his title only. He was "the
Chevalier" in the town, as the Comte d'Artois was "Monsieur" at court.
Now, not only had that marriage produced a war after the provincial
manner, in which all weapons are fair; it had hastened the separation of
the great and little noblesse, of the aristocratic and bourgeois social
elements, which had been united for a little space by the heavy weight
of Napoleonic rule. After the pressure was removed, there followed that
sudden revival of class divisions which did so much harm to the country.

The most national of all sentiments in France is vanity. The wounded
vanity of the many induced a thirst for Equality; though, as the most
ardent innovator will some day discover, Equality is an impossibility.
The Royalists pricked the Liberals in the most sensitive spots, and
this happened specially in the provinces, where either party accused the
other of unspeakable atrocities. In those days the blackest deeds were
done in politics, to secure public opinion on one side or the other, to
catch the votes of that public of fools which holds up hands for those
that are clever enough to serve out weapons to them. Individuals are
identified with their political opinions, and opponents in public life
forthwith became private enemies. It is very difficult in a country town
to avoid a man-to-man conflict of this kind over interests or questions
which in Paris appear in a more general and theoretical form, with
the result that political combatants also rise to a higher level; M.
Laffitte, for example, or M. Casimir-Perier can respect M. de Villele
or M. de Payronnet as a man. M. Laffitte, who drew the fire on the
Ministry, would have given them an asylum in his house if they had fled
thither on the 29th of July 1830. Benjamin Constant sent a copy of his
work on Religion to the Vicomte de Chateaubriand, with a flattering
letter acknowledging benefits received from the former Minister. At
Paris men are systems, whereas in the provinces systems are identified
with men; men, moreover, with restless passions, who must always
confront one another, always spy upon each other in private life, and
pull their opponents' speech