your own free will, the entire responsibility
of all your actions, so as to establish the fact, that a woman left
completely to herself, may equal man in reason, wisdom, uprightness, and
surpass him indelicacy and dignity. That is your design, my dear young
lady. It is noble and great. Will your example be imitated? I hope it
may; but whether it be so or not, your generous attempt, believe me,
will place you in a high and worthy position."

Mdlle. de Cardoville's eyes shone with a proud and gentle brightness,
her cheeks were slightly colored, her bosom heaved, she raised her
charming head with a movement of involuntary pride; at length completely
under the charm of that diabolical man she exclaimed: "But, sir, who are
you that can thus know and analyze my most secret thoughts, and read
my soul more clearly than myself, so as to give new life and action to
those ideas of independence which have long stirred within me? Who are
you, that can thus elevate me in my own eyes, for now I am conscious of
accomplishing a mission, honorable to myself, and perhaps useful to my
sisters immersed in slavery? Once again, sir, who are you?"

"Who am I, madame?" answered Rodin, with a smile of the greatest good
nature; "I have already told you that I am a poor old man, who for the
last forty years, having served in the day time as a writing machine to
record the ideas of others, went home every evening to work out ideas of
his own--a good kind of man who, from his garret, watches and even takes
some little share in the movement of generous spirits, advancing towards
an end that is nearer than is commonly thought. And thus, my dear young
lady, as I told you just now, you and I are both tending towards the
same objects, though you may do the same without reflection, and merely
in obedience to your rare and divine instincts. So continue so to live,
fair, free, and happy!--it is your mission--more providential than you
may think it. Yes; continue to surround yourself with all the marvels of
luxury and art; refine your senses, purify your tastes, by the exquisite
choice of your enjoyments; by genius, grace, and purity raise yourself
above the stupid and ill-favored mob of men, that will instantly
surround you, when they behold you alone and free; they will consider
you an easy prey, destined to please their cupidity, their egotism,
their folly.

"Laugh at them, and mock these idiotic and sordid pretensions. Be
the queen of your own world,