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Lousteau, who was not lacking in the sort of decision which grows out of the vicissitudes of a storm-tossed life, reflected thus: "Didine is high-minded; when once she knows of my proposed marriage, she will sacrifice herself for my future prospects, and I know how I can manage to let her know."

"Oh, I will be more than your wife I am your slave, I give you my life," said the poor deluded creature. "I did not believe I could love you more than I did! Now I shall not be a mere incident, but your whole life?" "Yes, my beautiful, my generous Didine." "Swear to me," said she, "that only death shall divide us." Lousteau was ready to sweeten his vows with the most fascinating prettinesses.

He stood frozen to the spot when, on reaching his house, he beheld his Didine at the coach door. "What has brought you here?" he inquired. He adopted the familiar tu. The formality of vous was out of the question to a woman he must get rid of. "Why, my love," cried she, "have you not read my letters?" "Certainly I have," said Lousteau. "Well, then?" "Well, then?"

If my daughter were to die of it, she should never be the wife of such a man as you. You must devote yourself to making your Didine happy, monsieur." And the virtuous lady walked out, followed by Felicie, who was crying too, for she had become accustomed to Etienne.

"I am going," cried Dinah, starting wildly to her feet and turning to the door. "You will stay here, my Didine. All is at an end. And is this fortune so lightly earned after all? Must I not marry a gawky, tow-haired creature, with a red nose, the daughter of a notary, and saddle myself with a stepmother who could give Madame de Piedefer points on the score of bigotry "

"Good God! that is all very fine in words, but " Dinah sat down and melted into tears as she heard this speech, roughly spoken. Lousteau could not resist this distress. He clasped the Baroness in his arms and kissed her. "Do not cry, Didine!" said he; and, as he uttered the words, he saw in the mirror the figure of Madame Cardot, looking at him from the further end of the rooms.

"Come, Didine, go with Pamela and get your trunks unloaded," said he in her ear. "Go; do not cry; we will be happy!" He led her to the door, and then came back to divert the storm. "Monsieur," said Madame Cardot, "I congratulate myself on having resolved to see for myself the home of the man who was to have been my son-in-law.

"Oh!" said the old man, "Madame de la Baudraye is still young; there is no time lost." This allusion made Lousteau smile; he did not understand Monsieur de la Baudraye. "There, Didine!" said he in Dinah's ear, "what a waste of remorse!" Dinah begged him to give her one day more, and the lovers parted after the manner of certain theatres, which give ten last performances of a piece that is paying.

He stood frozen to the spot when, on reaching his house, he beheld his Didine at the coach door. "What has brought you here?" he inquired. He adopted the familiar tu. The formality of vous was out of the question to a woman he must get rid of. "Why, my love," cried she, "have you not read my letters?" "Certainly I have," said Lousteau. "Well, then?" "Well, then?"

And Didine once out of the way," he went on, talking to himself, "I will treat Maman Cardot to a call and a novelette: I have seduced her Felicie at Saint-Eustache Felicie, guilty through passion, bears in her bosom the pledge of our affection and larifla, fla, fla! the father Ergo, the notary, his wife, and his daughter are caught, nabbed "