nced
her that I had only written to M. Lebrun to prevent him from assenting
to what she called her felicity. The suspicion hurt me cruelly;
nevertheless, I wrote again several times, and, after letting her read
my letters, gave them to her, so that she might post them herself.
Even this great condescension on my part was not enough to undeceive
her. With the distrust toward me that was incessantly being poured
into her, she said to me one day, "I post your letters, but I am sure
you write others to the contrary." I was stunned and heartbroken, when
at that very moment the postman arrived with a letter from M. Lebrun
giving his consent. A mother might then, without being accused of
exaction, have expected some excuses or thanks; but in order to have
it understood how entirely those wicked people had estranged my
daughter's heart, I will confess that the cruel child showed not the
least gratitude at what I had done for her in immolating all my
wishes, hopes and dislikes.

The wedding was nevertheless enacted a few days later. I gave my
daughter a very fine wedding outfit and some jewellery, including a
bracelet, mounted with some large diamonds, on which was her father's
likeness. Her marriage portion, the product of the portraits I had
painted at St. Petersburg, I deposited with the banker Livio.

The day after my daughter's wedding I went to see her. I found her
placid and unelated over her bliss. Being at her house again a
fortnight later, I made the inquiry, "You are very happy, I trust, now
that you are married to him?" M. Nigris, who was talking with some one
else, had his back turned to us, and, since he was afflicted with a
severe cold, had a heavy great coat on his shoulders. She replied, "I
confess that fur coat is disenchanting; how could you expect me to be
smitten with such a figure as that?" Thus a fortnight had sufficed for
love to evaporate.

As for me, the whole charm of my life seemed to be irretrievably
destroyed. I even felt no joy in loving my daughter, though God knows
how much I still did love her, in spite of all her wrongdoing. Only
mothers will fully understand me. Soon after her marriage she took the
smallpox. Although I had never had that frightful disease, no one
succeeded in preventing me from hastening to her side. Her face was so
swelled up that I was seized with terror. But it was only for her that
I feared, and as long as the illness lasted I thought not of myself
for a single moment.