The Tyranny of a Girl

           

           IfJulienhademployedthetimewhichhespentinexaggeratingMatilde’sbeautyorinworkinghimselfupintoarageagainstthatfamilyhaughtinesswhichshewasforgettingforhissakeinexaminingwhatwasgoingoninthesalon,hewouldhaveunderstoodthesecretofherdominionoverallthatsurroundedher.

           WhenanyonedispleasedmademoiselledeLaMoleshemanagedtopunishtheoffenderbyajestwhichwassoguarded,sowellchosen,sopoliteandsoneatlytimed,thatthemorethevictimthoughtaboutit,thesorergrewthewound.Shegraduallybecamepositivelyterribletowoundedvanity.Assheattachednovaluetomanythingswhichtherestofherfamilyveryseriouslywanted,shealwaysstruckthemasself-possessed.Thesalonsofthearistocracyareniceenoughtobragaboutwhenyouleavethem,butthatisall;merepolitenessaloneonlycountsforsomethinginitsownrightduringthefirstfewdays.Julienexperiencedthisafterthefirstfascinationandthefirstastonishmenthadpassedoff."Politeness,"hesaidtohimself"isnothingbuttheabsenceofthatbadtemperwhichwouldbeoccasionedbybadmanners."Mathildewasfrequentlybored;perhapsshewouldhavebeenboredanywhere.Shethenfoundarealdistractionandrealpleasureinsharpeninganepigram.

           Itwasperhapsinordertohavemoreamusingvictimsthanhergreatrelations,theacademicianandthefiveorsixothermenofinferiorclasswhopaidhercourt,thatshehadgivenencouragementtothemarquisdeCroisenois,thecomteCaylusandtwoorthreeotheryoungmenofthehighestrank.Theysimplyrepresentednewsubjectsforepigrams.

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