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Baroness； and to feast her mind with the sins she had forbidden to her
senses。 A man who is so privileged as to be allowed to pour light
stories into the ear of a bigot is in her eyes a charming man。 If this
exemplary youth had better known the human heart； he might without
risk have allowed himself some flirtations among the grisettes of
Besancon who looked up to him as a king； his affairs might perhaps
have been all the more hopeful with the strict and prudish Baroness。
To Rosalie our Cato affected prodigality； he professed a life of
elegance； showing her in perspective the splendid part played by a
woman of fashion in Paris； whither he meant to go as Depute。
All these manoeuvres were crowned with complete success。 In 1834 the
mothers of the forty noble families composing the high society of
Besancon quoted Monsieur Amedee de Soulas as the most charming young
man in the town； no one would have dared to dispute his place as cock
of the walk at the Hotel de Rupt； and all Besancon regarded him as
Rosalie de Watteville's future husband。 There had even been some
exchange of ideas on the subject between the Baroness and Amedee； to
which the Baron's apparent nonentity gave some certainty。
Mademoiselle de Watteville； to whom her enormous prospective fortune
at that time lent considerable importance； had been brought up
exclusively within the precincts of the Hotel de Ruptwhich her
mother rarely quitted； so devoted was she to her dear Archbishopand
severely repressed by an exclusively religious education； and by her
mother's despotism； which held her rigidly to principles。 Rosalie knew
absolutely nothing。 Is it knowledge to have learned geography from
Guthrie； sacred history； ancient history； the history of France； and
the four rules all passed through the sieve of an old Jesuit？ Dancing
and music were forbidden； as being more likely to corrupt life than to
grace it。 The Baroness taught her daughter every conceivable stitch in
tapestry and women's workplain sewing； embroidery； netting。 At
seventeen Rosalie had never read anything but the /Lettres edifiantes/
and some works on heraldry。 No newspaper had ever defiled her sight。
She attended mass at the Cathedral every morning； taken there by her
mother； came back to breakfast； did needlework after a little walk in
the garden； and received visitors； sitting with the baroness until
dinner…time。 Then； after dinner； excepting on Mondays and Fridays； she
accompanied Madame de Watteville to other houses to spend the evening；
without being allowed to talk more than the maternal rule permitted。
At eighteen Mademoiselle de Watteville was a slight； thin girl with a
flat figure； fair； colorless； and insignificant to the last degree。
Her eyes； of a very light blue； borrowed beauty from their lashes；
which； when downcast； threw a shadow on her cheeks。 A few freckles
marred the whiteness of her forehead； which was shapely enough。 Her
face was exactly like those of Albert Durer's saints； or those of the
painters before Perugino； the same plump； though slender modeling； the
same delicacy saddened by ecstasy； the same severe guilelessness。
Everything about her； even to her attitude； was suggestive of those
virgins； whose beauty is only revealed in its mystical radiance to the
eyes of the studious connoisseur。 She had fine hands though red； and a
pretty foot； the foot of an aristocrat。
She habitually wore simple checked cotton dresses； but on Sundays and
in the evening her mother allowed her silk。 The cut of her frocks；
made at Besancon； almost made her ugly； while her mother tried to
borrow grace； beauty； and elegance from Paris fashions； for through
Monsieur de Soulas she procured the smallest trifles of her dress from
thence。 Rosalie had never worn a pair of silk stockings or thin boots；
but always cotton stockings and leather shoes。 On high days she was
dressed in a muslin frock； her hair plainly dressed； and had bronze
kid shoes。
This education； and her own modest demeanor； hid in Rosalie a spirit
of iron。 Physiologists and profound observers will tell you； perhaps
to your astonishment； that tempers； characteristics； wit； or genius
reappear in families at long intervals； precisely like what are known
as hereditary diseases。 Thus talent； like the gout； sometimes skips
over two generations。 We have an illustrious example of this
phenomenon in George Sand； in whom are resuscitated the force； the
power； and the imaginative faculty of the Marechal de Saxe； whose
natural granddaughter she is。
The decisive character and romantic daring of the famous Watteville
had reappeared in the soul of his grand…niece； reinforced by the
tenacity and pride of blood of the Rupts。 But these qualitiesor
faults； if you will have it sowere as deeply buried in this young
girlish soul； apparently so weak and yielding； as the seething lavas
within a hill before it becomes a volcano。 Madame de Watteville alone；
perhaps； suspected this inheritance from two strains。 She was so
severe to her Rosalie； that she replied one day to the Archbishop； who
blamed her for being too hard on the child； 〃Leave me to manage her；
monseigneur。 I know her！ She has more than one Beelzebub in her skin！〃
The Baroness kept all the keener watch over her daughter； because she
considered her honor as a mother to be at stake。 After all； she had
nothing else to do。 Clotilde de Rupt； at this time five…and…thirty；
and as good as widowed； with a husband who turned egg…cups in every
variety of wood； who set his mind on making wheels with six spokes out
of iron…wood； and manufactured snuff…boxes for everyone of his
acquaintance； flirted in strict propriety with Amedee de Soulas。 When
this young man was in the house； she alternately dismissed and
recalled her daughter； and tried to detect symptoms of jealousy in
that youthful soul； so as to have occasion to repress them。 She
imitated the police in its dealings with the republicans； but she
labored in vain。 Rosalie showed no symptoms of rebellion。 Then the
arid bigot accused her daughter of perfect insensibility。 Rosalie knew
her mother well enough to be sure that if she had thought young
Monsieur de Soulas /nice/； she would have drawn down on herself a
smart reproof。 Thus； to all her mother's incitement she replied merely
by such phrases as are wrongly called Jesuiticalwrongly； because the
Jesuits were strong； and such reservations are the /chevaux de frise/
behind which weakness takes refuge。 Then the mother regarded the girl
as a dissembler。 If by mischance a spark of the true nature of the
Wattevilles and the Rupts blazed out； the mother armed herself with
the respect due from children to their parents to reduce Rosalie to
passive obedience。
This covert battle was carried on in the most secret seclusion of
domestic life； with closed doors。 The Vicar…General； the dear Abbe
Grancey； the friend of the late Archbishop； clever as he was in his
capacity of the chief Father Confessor of the diocese； could not
discover whether the struggle had stirred up some hatred between the
mother and daughter； whether the mother were jealous in anticipation；
or whether the court Amedee was paying to the girl thr