Chapter 7

           ITWASpartofwhatDecoudwouldhavecalledhissanematerialismthathedidnotbelieveinthepossibilityoffriendshipbetweenmanandwoman.

           Theoneexceptionheallowedconfirmed,hemaintained,thatabsoluterule.Friendshipwaspossiblebetweenbrotherandsister,meaningbyfriendshipthefrankunreserve,asbeforeanotherhumanbeing,ofthoughtsandsensations;alltheobjectlessandnecessarysincerityofone’sinnermostlifetryingtore-actupontheprofoundsympathiesofanotherexistence.

           Hisfavouritesister,thehandsome,slightlyarbitraryandresoluteangel,rulingthefatherandmotherDecoudinthefirst-floorapartmentsofaveryfineParisianhouse,wastherecipientofMartinDecoud’sconfidencesastohisthoughts,actions,purposes,doubts,andevenfailures....

           “PrepareourlittlecircleinParisforthebirthofanotherSouthAmericanRepublic.Onemoreorless,whatdoesitmatter?Theymaycomeintotheworldlikeevilflowersonahotbedofrotteninstitutions;buttheseedofthisonehasgerminatedinyourbrother’sbrain,andthatwillbeenoughforyourdevotedassent.Iamwritingthistoyoubythelightofasinglecandle,inasortofinn,neartheharbour,keptbyanItaliancalledViola,aprotegeofMrs.Gould.Thewholebuilding,which,forallIknow,mayhavebeencontrivedbyaConquistadorfarmerofthepearlfisherythreehundredyearsago,isperfectlysilent.