nd as he
heard more and more about the deplorable condition of M. de Nailles's
affairs, he congratulated himself that a prudent presentiment had kept
him from asking the hand of Jacqueline. He had had vague doubts as to the
firm foundation of the opulence which made so charming a frame for her
young beauty; it seemed to him as if she were now less beautiful than he
had imagined her; the enchantment she had exercised upon him was thrown
off by simple considerations of good sense. And yet he gave a long sigh
of regret when he thought she was unattainable except by marriage. He,
however, thanked heaven that he had not gone far enough to have
compromised himself with her. The most his conscience could reproach him
with was an occasional imprudence in moments of forgetfulness; no court
of honor could hold him bound to declare himself her suitor. The evening
that he made up his mind to this he wrote two letters, very nearly alike;
one was to Madame d'Avrigny, the other to Madame de Nailles, announcing
that, having received orders to join the Embassy to which he was attached
at Vienna, he was about to depart at once, with great regret that he
should not be able to take leave of any one. To Madame d'Avrigny he made
apologies for having to give up his part in her theatricals; he entreated
Madame de Nailles to accept both for herself and for Mademoiselle
Jacqueline his deepest condolences and the assurance of his sympathy. The
manner in which this was said was all it ought to have been, except that
it might have been rather more brief. M. de Cymier said more than was
necessary about his participation in their grief, because he was
conscious of a total lack of sympathy. He begged the ladies would forgive
him if, from feelings of delicacy and a sense of the respect due to a
great sorrow, he did not, before leaving Paris, which he was about do to
probably for a long time, personally present to them 'ses hommages
attristes'. Then followed a few lines in which he spoke of the pleasant
recollections he should always retain of the hospitality he had enjoyed
under M. de Nailles's roof, in a way that gave them clearly to understand
that he had no expectation of ever entering their family on a more
intimate footing.

Madame de Nailles received this letter just as she had had a conversation
with a man of business, who had shown her how complete was the ruin for
which in a great measure she herself was responsible. She had no longer
any illu