ld's idea of a virtuous woman? Are not men so unjust
as to believe that the wisest woman is she who best conceals her
weakness; or who, by a forced retreat puts herself beyond the
possibility of having any? Rather than accord us a single perfection,
they carry wickedness to the point of attributing to us a perpetual
state of violence, every time we undertake to resist their advances.
One of our friends said: 'There is not an honest woman who is not
tired of being so.' And what recompense do they offer us for the cruel
torments to which they have condemned us? Do they raise up an altar to
our heroism? No! The most honest woman, they say, is she who is not
talked about, that is to say, a perfect indifference on the part of a
woman, a general oblivion is the price of our virtue. Must women not
have much of it to preserve it at such a price? Who would not be
tempted to abandon it? But there are grave matters which can not be
overlooked.

"Dishonor closely follows upon weakness. Old age is dreadful in
itself, what must it not be when it is passed in remorse? I feel the
necessity of avoiding such a misfortune. I calculated at first that I
could not succeed in, doing so, without condemning myself to a life of
austerity, and I had not the courage to undertake it. But it gradually
dawned upon me that the condition of a society woman was alone
competent to reconcile virtue with pleasure. From the smile on your
face, I suspect such an idea appears to be a paradox to you. But it is
more reasonable than you imagine.

"Tell me this: Is a society woman obliged to have an attachment? Is
she not exempt from tenderness? It is sufficient for her to be amiable
and courteous, everything on the surface. As soon as she becomes
expert in the role she has undertaken, then, the only mistrust the
world has of her is that she has no heart. A fine figure, haughty
airs, caprices, fashionable jargon, fantasies, and fads, that is all
that is required of her. She can be essentially virtuous with
impunity. Does any one presume to make advances? If he meet with
resistance he quickly gives over worrying her, he thinks her heart is
already captured, and he patiently awaits his turn. His perseverance
would be out of place, for she would notify a man who failed to pay
her deference, that it was owing to arrangements made before he
offered himself. In this way a woman is protected by the bad opinion
had of her.

"I read in your eyes that you are about to