nstrumentality of these friends or by insinuations adroitly but
treacherously made, you will lead him astray on essential points; and,
with a little cleverness, you will succeed in finding your wife ready to
deny herself to her lover when he calls, without either she or he being
able to tell the reason. Thus you will have created in the bosom of
your home a comedy in five acts, in which you play, to your profit, the
brilliant role of Figaro or Almaviva; and for some months you will amuse
yourself so much the more, because your _amour-propre_, your vanity,
your all, were at stake.

I had the good fortune in my youth to win the confidence of an old
_emigre_ who gave me those rudiments of education which are generally
obtained by young people from women. This friend, whose memory will
always be dear to me, taught me by his example to put into practice
those diplomatic stratagems which require tact as well as grace.

The Comte de Noce had returned from Coblenz at a time when it was
dangerous for the nobility to be found in France. No one had such
courage and such kindness, such craft and such recklessness as this
aristocrat. Although he was sixty years old he had married a woman of
twenty-five, being compelled to this act of folly by soft-heartedness;
for he thus delivered this poor child from the despotism of a capricious
mother. "Would you like to be my widow?" this amiable old gentleman had
said to Mademoiselle de Pontivy, but his heart was too affectionate not
to become more attached to his wife than a sensible man ought to be.
As in his youth he had been under the influence of several among the
cleverest women in the court of Louis XV, he thought he would have no
difficulty in keeping his wife from any entanglement. What man excepting
him have I ever seen, who could put into successful practice the
teachings which I am endeavoring to give to husbands! What charm
could he impart to life by his delightful manners and fascinating
conversation!--His wife never knew until after his death what she then
learned from me, namely, that he had the gout. He had wisely retired to
a home in the hollow of a valley, close to a forest. God only knows
what rambles he used to take with his wife!--His good star decreed that
Mademoiselle de Pontivy should possess an excellent heart and should
manifest in a high degree that exquisite refinement, that sensitive
modesty which renders beautiful the plainest girl in the world. All of a
sudden,