o the crooked
ways in which M. de Cymier might pursue his fortune-hunting. She said
to herself that she should never marry; that she had other objects of
interest; that marriage was for those who had nothing better before
them; and the world appeared to her under a new aspect, a sphere
of useful activity full of possibilities, of infinite variety, and
abounding in interests. Marriage might be all very well for rich
girls, who unhappily were objects of value to be bought and sold; her
semi-poverty gave her the right to break the chains that hampered the
career of other well-born women--she would make her own way in the world
like a man.

Thus, at eighteen, youth is ready to set sail in a light skiff on a
rough sea, having laid in a good store of imagination and of courage, of
childlike ignorance and self-esteem.

No doubt she would meet with some difficulties; that thought did but
excite her ardor. No doubt Madame de Nailles would try to keep her
with her, and Jacqueline had provided herself beforehand with some
double-edged remarks by way of weapons, which she intended to use
according to circumstances. But all these preparations for defense or
attack proved unnecessary. When she told the Baroness of her plans she
met with no opposition. She had expected that her project of separation
would highly displease her stepmother; on the contrary, Madame de
Nailles discussed her projects quietly, affecting to consider them
merely temporary, but with no indication of dissatisfaction or
resistance. In truth she was not sorry that Jacqueline, whose
companionship became more and more embarrassing every day, had cut the
knot of a difficult position by a piece of wilfulness and perversity
which seemed to put her in the wrong. The necessity she would have been
under of crushing such a girl, who was now eighteen, would have been
distasteful and unprofitable; she was very glad to get rid of her
stepdaughter, always provided it could be done decently and without
scandal. Those two, who had once so loved each other and who were now
sharers in the same sorrows, became enemies--two hostile parties, which
only skilful strategy could ever again bring together. They tacitly
agreed to certain conditions: they would save appearances; they would
remain on outwardly good terms with each other whatever happened,
and above all they would avoid any explanation. This programme was
faithfully carried out, thanks to the great tact of Madame de Nailles