The English ScissorsA girl of sixteen had a rosy complexion, and put on rouge.

　　POLIDORIAs for Julien, Fouque's offer had indeed destroyed all his happiness;he could not decide upon any course.

　　'Alas! Perhaps I am wanting in character, I should have made Napoleon a bad soldier. Anyhow,' he went on, 'my little intrigue with the ladyof the house is going to distract me for the moment.'

　　Fortunately for him, even in this minor incident, his inward feelingsbore no relation to his cavalier language. He was afraid of Madame deRenal because of her pretty gown. This gown was in his eyes the advance guard of Paris. His pride was determined to leave nothing tochance and to the inspiration of the moment. Drawing upon Fouque'sconfessions and the little he had read about love in the Bible, he prepared a plan of campaign in great detail. Since, though he did not admitit to himself, he was extremely anxious, he committed this plan towriting.

　　The following morning, in the drawing-room, Madame de Renal wasalone with him for a moment.

　　'Have you no other name besides Julien?' she asked him.

　　Our hero did not know what answer to give to so flattering a question.

　　No provision had been made in his plan for such an event. But for thestupid mistake of making a plan, Julien's quick mind would soon havecome to his rescue, his surprise would only have added to the keennessof his perceptions.

　　He was awkward and exaggerated his own awkwardness. Madame deRenal soon forgave him that. She saw in it the effect of a charming candour. And the one thing lacking, to her mind, in this man, who was considered so brilliant, was an air of candour.

　　 'I don't at all trust your little tutor,' Madame Derville said to her onseveral occasions. 'He seems to me to be always thinking and to act onlyfrom motives of policy. He's crafty.'

　　Julien remained deeply humiliated by the disaster of not havingknown what answer to make to Madame de Renal.

　　'A man of my sort owes it to himself to make up for this check'; and,seizing the moment at which she passed from one room to another, hedid what he considered his duty by giving Madame de Renal a kiss.

　　Nothing could have been less appropriate, less agreeable either to himself or to her, nor could anything have been more imprudent. Theybarely escaped being caught. Madame de Renal thought him mad. Shewas frightened and even more shocked. This stupidity reminded her ofM. Valenod.

　　'What would happen to me,' she asked herself, 'if I were left alone withhim?' All her virtue returned, for her love was in eclipse.

　　She arranged matters so that there should always be one of her children with her.

　　The day passed slowly for Julien, he spent the whole of it in clumsilycarrying out his plan of seduction. He never once looked at Madame deRenal without embodying a question in his look; he was not, however,such a fool as not to see that he was failing completely to be agreeable,let alone seductive.

　　Madame de Renal could not get over her astonishment at finding himso awkward and at the same time so bold. 'It is the timidity of love in aman of parts!' she said to herself at length............