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celestial things fell on my heart and crushed it。 I felt myself too
small； I wished to die at her feet。
〃Ah！〃 I said； 〃you surpass us in all things。 Can you doubt me？for
you did doubt me just now； Henriette。〃
〃Not now；〃 she answered； looking at me with ineffable tenderness；
which； for a moment； veiled the light of her eyes。 〃But seeing you so
changed； so handsome； I said to myself； 'Our plans for Madeleine will
be defeated by some woman who will guess the treasures in his heart；
she will steal our Felix； and destroy all happiness here。'〃
〃Always Madeleine！〃 I replied。 〃Is it Madeleine to whom I am
faithful？〃
We fell into a silence which Monsieur de Mortsauf inconveniently
interrupted。 I was forced to keep up a conversation bristling with
difficulties； in which my honest replies as to the king's policy
jarred with the count's ideas； and he forced me to explain again and
again the king's intentions。 In spite of all my questions as to his
horses； his agricultural affairs； whether he was satisfied with his
five farms； whether he meant to cut the timber of the old avenue； he
returned to the subject of politics with the pestering faculty of an
old maid and the persistency of a child。 Minds like his prefer to dash
themselves against the light； they return again and again and hum
about it without ever getting into it； like those big flies which
weary our ears as they buzz upon the glass。
Henriette was silent。 To stop the conversation； in which I feared my
young blood might take fire； I answered in monosyllables； mostly
acquiescent； avoiding discussion； but Monsieur de Mortsauf had too
much sense not to perceive the meaning of my politeness。 Presently he
was angry at being always in the right； he grew refractory； his
eyebrows and the wrinkles of his forehead worked； his yellow eyes
blazed； his rufous nose grew redder； as it did on the day I first
witnessed an attack of madness。 Henriette gave me a supplicating look；
making me understand that she could not employ on my behalf an
authority to which she had recourse to protect her children。 I at once
answered the count seriously； taking up the political question； and
managing his peevish spirit with the utmost care。
〃Poor dear！ poor dear！〃 she murmured two or three times； the words
reaching my ear like a gentle breeze。 When she could intervene with
success she said； interrupting us； 〃Let me tell you； gentlemen； that
you are very dull company。〃
Recalled by this conversation to his chivalrous sense of what was due
to a woman； the count ceased to talk politics； and as we bored him in
our turn by commonplace matters； he presently left us to continue our
walk； declaring that it made his head spin to go round and round on
the same path。
My sad conjectures were true。 The soft landscape； the warm atmosphere；
the cloudless skies； the soothing poetry of this valley； which for
fifteen years had calmed the stinging fancies of that diseased mind；
were now impotent。 At a period of life when the asperities of other
men are softened and their angles smoothed； the disposition of this
man became more and more aggressive。 For the last few months he had
taken a habit of contradicting for the sake of contradiction； without
reason； without even trying to justify his opinions； he insisted on
knowing the why and the wherefore of everything； grew restless under a
delay or an omission； meddled with every item of the household
affairs； and compelled his wife and the servants to render him the
most minute and fatiguing account of all that was done； never allowing
them the slightest freedom of action。 Formerly he did not lose his
temper except for some special reason； now his irritation was
constant。 Perhaps the care of his farms； the interests of agriculture；
an active out…door life had formerly soothed his atrabilious temper by
giving it a field for its uneasiness； and by furnishing employment for
his activity。 Possibly the loss of such occupation had allowed his
malady to prey upon itself； no longer exercised on matters without； it
was showing itself in more fixed ideas； the moral being was laying
hold of the physical being。 He had lately become his own doctor； he
studied medical books； fancied he had the diseases he read of； and
took the most extraordinary and unheard of precautions about his
health；precautions never the same； impossible to foresee； and
consequently impossible to satisfy。 Sometimes he wanted no noise；
then； when the countess had succeeded in establishing absolute
silence； he would declare he was in a tomb； and blame her for not
finding some medium between incessant noise and the stillness of La
Trappe。 Sometimes he affected a perfect indifference for all earthly
things。 Then the whole household breathed freely； the children played；
family affairs went on without criticism。 Suddenly he would cry out
lamentably； 〃They want to kill me！My dear；〃 he would say to his
wife； increasing the injustice of his words by the aggravating tones
of his sharp voice； 〃if it concerned your children you would know very
well what was the matter with them。〃
He dressed and re…dressed himself incessantly； watching every change
of temperature； and doing nothing without consulting the barometer。
Notwithstanding his wife's attentions； he found no food to suit him；
his stomach being； he said； impaired； and digestion so painful as to
keep him awake all night。 In spite of this he ate； drank； digested；
and slept； in a manner to satisfy any doctor。 His capricious will
exhausted the patience of the servants； accustomed to the beaten track
of domestic service and unable to conform to the requirements of his
conflicting orders。 Sometimes he bade them keep all the windows open；
declaring that his health required a current of fresh air； a few days
later the fresh air； being too hot or too damp； as the case might be；
became intolerable； then he scolded； quarrelled with the servants； and
in order to justify himself； denied his former orders。 This defect of
memory； or this bad faith； call it which you will； always carried the
day against his wife in the arguments by which she tried to pit him
against himself。 Life at Clochegourde had become so intolerable that
the Abbe Dominis； a man of great learning； took refuge in the study of
scientific problems； and withdrew into the shelter of pretended
abstraction。 The countess had no longer any hope of hiding the secret
of these insane furies within the circle of her own home； the servants
had witnessed scenes of exasperation without exciting cause； in which
the premature old man passed the bounds of reason。 They were； however；
so devoted to the countess that nothing so far had transpired outside；
but she dreaded daily some public outburst of a frenzy no longer
controlled by respect for opinion。
Later I learned the dreadful details of the count's treatment of his
wife。 Instead of supporting her when the children were ill； he
assailed her with dark predictions and made her responsible for all
future illnesses； because she refused to let the children take the
crazy doses which he prescribed。 When she went to walk with them the
count would predict a storm in the face of a clear sky； if by chance
the prediction proved true； the satisfaction he felt made him quite
indifferent to any harm to the children。 If one of them was ailing；
the count gave his whole mind to fastening the cause of the illness
upon the system of nursing adopted by his wife； whom he carped at for
every trifling detail； always ending with the cruel words； 〃If your
children fall ill again you have only yourself to thank for it。〃
He behaved in the same way in the management of the household； seeing
the worst side of everything； and making himself； as his old coachman
said； 〃the devil's own advocate。〃 The countess arranged that Jacques
and Madeleine should take their meals alone at different hours from
the family； so as to save them from the co