The Anonymous LettersDo not give dalliance Too much the rein; the strongest oaths arestraw To the fire i'the blood.

　　The TempestAs they left the drawing-room about midnight, Julien found time tosay to his mistress: 'Do not let us meet tonight, your husband has suspicions; I would swear that that long letter he was reading with such displeasure is an anonymous one.'

　　Fortunately, Julien locked himself into his room. Madame de Renalconceived the mad idea that this warning was simply a pretext for notcoming to see her. She lost her head absolutely, and at the usual hourcame to his door. Julien, hearing a sound in the corridor, instantly blewout his lamp. Someone was attempting to open his door; was it Madamede Renal, was it a jealous husband?

　　Early the next morning, the cook, who took an interest in Julien,brought him a book on the cover of which he read these words written inItalian: Guardate alia pagina 130.

　　Julien shuddered at the imprudence, turned to page one hundred andthirty and found fastened to it with a pin the following letter written inhaste, bedewed with tears, and without the least attempt at spelling.

　　Ordinarily Madame de Renal spelt quite well; he was moved by this detail and began to forget the frightful imprudence.

　　'So you would not let me in tonight? There are moments when I feelthat I have never seen into the depths of your heart. Your look frightensme. I am afraid of you. Great God! Can it be, you have never loved me?

　　In that case, my husband can discover our love, and shut me up inlifelong imprisonment, in the country, apart from my children. PerhapsGod wills it so. I shall soon die; but you will be a monster.

　　 'Do you not love me? Are you tired of my follies, of my remorse, impious one? Do you wish to ruin me? I give you an easy method. Go, showthis letter to all Verrieres, or rather show it to M. Valenod alone. Tell himthat I love you; but no, utter no such blasphemy; tell him that I adoreyou, that life only began for me on the day when I first saw you; that inthe wildest moments of my girlhood, I had never even dreamed of thehappiness that I owe to you; that I have sacrificed my life to you, that Iam sacrificing my soul to you. You know that I am sacrificing far more.

　　'But what does he know of sacrifices, that man? Tell him, tell him, tomake him angry, that I defy all evil-speakers, and that there is but onemisfortune in the world for me, that of beholding a change in the oneman who holds me to life. What a blessing for me to lose it, to offer it insacrifice, and to fear no longer for my children!

　　'Doubt not, dear friend, if there be an anonymous letter, it comes fromthat odious being who, for the last six years, has pursued me with hisloud voice, with a list of the jumps his horse has taken, with his fatuityand with the endless enumeration of all his advantages.

　　'Is there an anonymous letter? Wicked one, that is what I wished todiscuss with you; but no, you were right. Clasping you in my arms, forthe last time perhaps, I could never have discussed the matter calmly, asI do when I am alone. From this moment our happiness will not be soeasily secured. Will that be an annoyance to you? Yes, on the days whenyou have not received some amusing book from M. Fouque. The sacrificeis made; tomorrow, whether there be an anonymous letter or not, I shalltell my husband that I have received an anonymous letter, that he mustinstantly offer you a large sum to accept another post, find some decentpretext, and send you back without delay to your family.

　　'Alas, dear friend, we are going to be parted for a fortnight, perhaps amonth! But there, I do you justice, you will suffer as much as I. Still, thisis the only way to counteract the effect of this anonymous letter; it is notthe first that my husband has received, and on my account too. Alas!

　　How I have laughed at them!

　　'The whole purpose of my scheme is to make my husband think thatthe letter comes from M. Valenod; I have no doubt that he is its autho............