\"Howlittlesheknowsthatayoungmanispassingbeforeherhousewholovesherwell，whowouldbefaithfultoher，whowouldnevercauseheranygrief；whowouldleavehertheentiremanagementofherfortunewithoutinterference。GoodGod!whatfatality!here，sidebyside，inthesametown，aretwopersonsinourmutualcondition，andyetnothingcanbringthemtogether。SupposeIweretospeaktoherthisevening？\"
DuringthistimeSuzannehadreturnedtohermother\'shousethinkingofAthanase；and，likemanyotherwomenwhohavelongedtohelpanadoredmanbeyondthelimitofhumanpowers，shefeltherselfcapableofmakingherbodyastepping-stoneonwhichhecouldrisetoattainhisthrone。
Itisnownecessarytoenterthehouseofthisoldmaidtowardwhomsomanyinterestsareconverging，wheretheactorsinthisscene，withtheexceptionofSuzanne，werealltomeetthisveryevening。AsforSuzanne，thathandsomeindividualboldenoughtoburnhershipslikeAlexanderatherstartinlife，andtobeginthebattlebyafalsehood，shedisappearsfromthestage，havingintroduceduponitaviolentelementofinterest。Herutmostwishesweregratified。Shequittedhernativetownafewdayslater，wellsuppliedwithmoneyandgoodclothes，amongwhichwasafinedressofgreenrepsandacharminggreenbonnetlinedwithpink，thegiftofMonsieurdeValois，——apresentwhichshepreferredtoalltherest，eventhemoney。IfthechevalierhadgonetoParisinthedaysofherfuturebrilliancy，shewouldcertainlyhavelefteveryoneforhim。LikethechasteSusannahoftheBible，whomtheEldershardlysaw，sheestablishedherselfjoyouslyandfullofhopeinParis，whileallAlenconwasdeploringhermisfortunes，forwhichtheladiesoftwoSocietiesCharityandMaternitymanifestedtheliveliestsympathy。ThoughSuzanneisafairspecimenofthosehandsomeNormanwomenwhomalearnedphysicianreckonsascomprisingonethirdofherfallenclasswhomourmonstrousParisabsorbs，itmustbestatedthatsheremainedintheupperandmoredecentregionsofgallantry。Atanepochwhen，asMonsieurdeValoissaid，Womannolongerexisted，shewassimply\"MadameduVal-Noble\"；inotherdaysshewouldhaverivalledtheRhodopes，theImperias，theNinonsofthepast。OneofthemostdistinguishedwritersoftheRestorationhastakenherunderhisprotection；perhapshemaymarryher。Heisajournalist，andconsequentlyabovepublicopinion，inasmuchashemanufacturesitafresheveryyearortwo。
CHAPTERIII
MADEMOISELLECORMON