Youareyoungandbeautiful，andwillbefortwentyyearstocome，soIcanspeakofthismatterbeforeyou，”headded，withakeenlookatMademoiselledesTouches。”Inthefirstplacethesemi-dowagers，towhomyoungmenpaytheirfirstcourt，knowmuchbetterhowtomakelovethanyoungerwomen。Anadolescentyouthistoolikeayoungwomanhimselfforayoungwomantopleasehim。SuchapassiontrenchesonthefableofNarcissus。Besidesthatfeelingofrepugnance，thereis，asIthink，amutualsenseofinexperiencewhichseparatesthem。Thereasonwhytheheartsofyoungwomenareonlyunderstoodbymaturemen，whoconcealtheirclevernessunderapassionrealorfeigned，ispreciselythesameallowingforthedifferenceofmindsasthatwhichrendersawomanofacertainagemoreadroitinattractingyouth。Ayoungmanfeelsthatheissuretosucceedwithher，andthevanitiesofthewomanareflatteredbyhissuit。Besides，isn’titnaturalforyouthtoflingitselfonfruits？Theautumnofawoman’slifeoffersmanythatareverytoothsome，——thoselooks，forinstance，bold，andyetreserved，bathedwiththelastraysoflove，sowarm，sosweet；thatall-wiseeleganceofspeech，thosemagnificentshoulders，sonoblydeveloped，thefullandundulatingoutline，thedimpledhands，thehairsowellarranged，socaredfor，thatcharmingnapeoftheneck，wherealltheresourcesofartaredisplayedtoexhibitthecontrastbetweenthehairandtheflesh-tones，andtosetinfullrelieftheexuberanceoflifeandlove。Brunettesthemselvesarefairatsuchtimes，withtheambercolorsofmaturity。Besides，suchwomenrevealintheirsmilesanddisplayintheirwordsaknowledgeoftheworld；theyknowhowtoconverse；theycancallupthewholeofsociallifetomakealoverlaugh；theirdignityandtheirpridearestupendous；or，inothermoods，theycanutterdespairingcrieswhichtouchhissoul，farewellsoflovewhichtheytakecaretorenderuseless，andonlymaketointensifyhispassion。Theirdevotionsareabsolute；theylistentous；theyloveus；theycatch，theyclingtoloveasamancondemnedtodeathclingstotheveriesttriflesofexistence，——inshort，love，absolutelove，isknownonlythroughthem。
Ithinksuchwomencanneverbeforgottenbyaman，anymorethanhecanforgetwhatisgrandandsublime。Ayoungwomanhasathousanddistractions；thesewomenhavenone。Nolongerhavetheyself-love，pettiness，orvanity；theirlove——itistheLoireatitsmouth，itisvast，itisswelledbyalltheillusions，alltheaffluentsoflife，andthisiswhy——butmymuseisdumb，”headded，observingtheecstaticattitudeofMademoiselledesTouches，whowaspressingCalyste’shandwithallherstrength，perhapstothankhimforhavingbeentheoccasionofsuchamoment，ofsuchaneulogy，soloftythatshedidnotseethetrapthatitlaidforher。
DuringtherestoftheeveningClaudeVignonandFelicitesparkledwithwitandhappysayings；theytoldanecdotes，anddescribedParisianlifetoCalyste，whowascharmedwithClaude，formindhasimmenseseductionsforpersonswhoareallheart。”Ishouldn’tbesurprisedtoseetheMarquisedeRochefideandConti，who，ofcourse，willaccompanyher，atthelanding-placeto-morrow，”
saidClaudeVignon，astheeveningended。”WhenIwasatCroisicthisafternoon，thefishermenweresayingthattheyhadseenalittlevessel，Danish，Swedish，orNorwegian，intheoffing。”
ThisspeechbroughtaflushtothecheeksoftheimpassibleCamille。