is young German will never gain for himself the title
of an exquisite, or a man of bonnes fortunes, among us. In spite of his
calm and politeness, I think I can see in his character some rude and
insurmountable difficulties, which time will only increase, and which
will prevent him for ever from bending to the exigencies of either
profession; but, unless I very much deceive myself, he will, one day, be
the hero of a veritable romance.'

"'He, madame?' answered a young man, of fair complexion and fair hair,
one of the most devoted slaves of the fashion:--'He, Madame la Duchesse?
why, the man is, at best, but an original, fished out of the Rhine: a
dull, heavy creature, as much capable of understanding a woman's heart
as I am of speaking bas-Breton.'

"'Well, Monsieur de Belport, you will speak bas-Breton. Monsieur de
Stolberg has not your admirable ease of manner, nor your facility of
telling pretty nothings, nor your--in a word, that particular something
which makes you the most recherche man of the Faubourg Saint Germain;
and even I avow to you that, were I still young, and a coquette, AND
THAT I TOOK IT INTO MY HEAD TO HAVE A LOVER, I would prefer you.'

"All this was said by the Duchess, with a certain air of raillery and
such a mixture of earnest and malice, that Monsieur de Belport, piqued
not a little, could not help saying, as he bowed profoundly before the
Duchess's chair, 'And might I, madam, be permitted to ask the reason of
this preference?'

"'O mon Dieu, oui,' said the Duchess, always in the same tone; 'because
a lover like you would never think of carrying his attachment to the
height of passion; and these passions, do you know, have frightened me
all my life. One cannot retreat at will from the grasp of a passionate
lover; one leaves behind one some fragment of one's moral SELF, or the
best part of one's physical life. A passion, if it does not kill you,
adds cruelly to your years; in a word, it is the very lowest
possible taste. And now you understand why I should prefer you, M. de
Belport--you who are reputed to be the leader of the fashion.'

"'Perfectly,' murmured the gentleman, piqued more and more.

"'Gerard de Stolberg WILL be passionate. I don't know what woman will
please him, or will be pleased by him' (here the Duchess of Chalux spoke
more gravely); 'but his love will be no play, I repeat it to you once
more. All this astonishes you, because you, great leaders of the ton
that you are, nev