is the same with love, as it is with cookery.

What I cannot comprehend, for example, is, that certain women who fully
understand the irresistible attraction of fine, embroidered stockings,
the exquisite charm of shades, the witchery of valuable lace concealed
in the depths of their underclothing, the exciting jest of hidden luxury,
and all the subtle delicacies of female elegance, never understand the
invincible disgust with which words that are out of place, or foolishly
tender, inspire us.

At times coarse and brutal expressions work wonders, as they excite the
senses, and make the heart beat, and they are allowable at the hours of
combat. Is not that sentence of Cambronne's sublime? [10]

[Footnote 10: At Waterloo, General Cambronne is reported to have said,
when called on to surrender:--_The Guard dies, but does not surrender._
But according to Victor Hugo, in _Les Miserables_, he used the
expression _Merde_! which cannot be put into English fit for ears
polite.--TRANSLATOR.]

Nothing shocks us that comes at the right time; but then, we must also
know when to hold our tongue, and to avoid phrases _a la Paul de Kock_,
at certain moments.

And I embrace you passionately, on the condition that you say nothing,

RENE.

A DIVORCE CASE

M. Chassel advocate, rises to speak: Mr. President and gentlemen of the
jury. The cause that I am charged to defend before you, requires medicine
rather than justice; and is much more a case of pathology than a case of
ordinary law. At first blush the facts seem very simple.

A young man, very rich, with a noble and cultivated mind, and a generous
heart, becomes enamored of a young lady, who is the perfection of beauty,
more than beautiful, in fact; she is adorable, besides being as gracious,
as she is charming, as good and true as she is tender and pretty, and he
marries her. For some time, he comports himself towards her not only as a
devoted husband, but as a man full of solicitude and tenderness. Then he
neglects her, misuses her, seems to entertain for her an insurmountable
aversion, an irresistible disgust. One day he even strikes her, not only
without any cause, but also without the faintest pretext. I am not going,
gentlemen, to draw a picture of silly allurements, which no one would
comprehend. I shall not paint to you the wretched life of those two
beings, and the horrible grief of this young woman. It will be sufficient
to convince you, if I read some fragmen