Another DantonThe need for anxiety explains the character of the beautiful Marguerite de Valois, my aunt, who soon afterwards married theKing of Navarre, whom we now see on the throne of France under the name of Henri IV. The need to gamble was the key to thecharacter of this delightful princess; hence the quarrels and thereconciliations with her brothers from the age of sixteen onwards.

　　And what does a young girl gamble with? The most preciousthing she has: her reputation, the possibility of esteem for her entire life.

　　Memoirs of the Due d'Angouleme, natural son of Charles IX'With Julien and me there is no contract to be signed, no lawyer;everything is heroic, everything will be left to chance. But for nobility,which he lacks, it is the love of Marguerite de Valois for young La Mole,the most distinguished man of his time. Is it my fault if the young men atCourt are such ardent devotees of the Conventions, and turn pale at themere thought of any adventure that is slightly out of the common? Alittle expedition to Greece or Africa is to them the height of audacity, andeven then they can only go in a troop. As soon as they find themselvesalone, they become afraid, not of Bedouin spears, but of ridicule, andthat drives them mad.

　　'My little Julien, on the contrary, will only act alone. Never, in thatprivileged being, is there the slightest thought of seeking the approvaland support of others! He despises other people, that is why I do notdespise him.

　　'If, with his poverty, Julien had been noble, my love would be nothingmore than a piece of vulgar folly, an unfortunate marriage; I should notobject to that; it would lack that element which characterises great passion: the immensity of the difficulty to be overcome and the black uncertainty of events.'

　　 Mademoiselle de La Mole was so absorbed in these fine speculationsthat next day, quite unintentionally, she sang Julien's praises to the Marquis de Croisenois and her brother. Her eloquence went so far that theybecame annoyed.

　　'Beware of that young man, who has so much energy,' her brothercried; 'if the Revolution begins again, he will have us all guillotined.'

　　She made no answer, and hastened to tease her brother and the Marquis de Croisenois over the fear that energy inspired in them. It wasnothing more, really, than the fear of meeting something unexpected, thefear of being brought up short in the presence of the unexpected …'Still, gentlemen, still the fear of ridicule, a monster which, unfortunately, died in 1816.'

　　'There can be no more ridicule,' M. de La Mole used to say, 'in a country where there are two Parties.'

　　His daughter had assimilated this idea.

　　'And so, gentlemen,' she told Julien's enemies, 'you will be haunted byfear all your lives, and afterwards people will say of you:

　　'"It was not a wolf, it was only a shadow."'

　　Mathilde soon left them. Her brother's remark filled her with horror; itgreatly disturbed her; but after sleeping on it, she interpreted it as thehighest possible praise.

　　'In this age, when all energy is dead, his energy makes them afraid. Ishall tell him what my brother said. I wish to see what answer he willmake. But I shall choose a moment when his eyes are glowing. Then hecannot lie to me.

　　'Another Danton?' she went on after a long, vague spell of musing.

　　'Very well! Let us suppose that the Revolution has begun. What partswould Croisenois and my brother play? It is all prescribed for them: sublime resignation. They would be heroic sheep, allowing their throats tobe cut without a word. Their sole fear when dying would still be of committing a breach of taste. My little Julien would blow out the brains ofthe Jacobin who came to arrest him, if he had the slightest hope of escaping. He, at least, has no fear of bad taste.'

　　These last words made her pensive again; they revived painfulmemories, and destroyed all her courage. They reminded her of the witticisms of MM. de Caylus, de Croisenois, de Luz, and her brother. Thesegentlemen were unanimous in accusing Julien of a priestly air, humbleand hypocritical.

　　 'But,' she went on, suddenly, her eye sparkling with joy, 'by the bitterness and the frequency of their sarcasms, they prove, in spite of themselves, that he is the most distinguished man that we have seen thiswinter. What do his faults, his absurdities matter? He has greatness, andthey are shocked by it, they who in other respects are so kind and indulgent. He knows well that he is poor, and that he has studied to become apriest; they are squadron commanders, and have no need of study; it is amore comfortable life.

　　'In spite of all the drawbacks of his eternal black coat, and of thatpriestly face, which he is obliged to assume, poor boy, if he is not to dieof hunger, his merit alarms them, nothing could be clearer. And thatpriestly expression, he no longer wears it when we have been for a fewmoments by ourselves. Besides, when these gentlemen say anythingwhich they consider clever and startling, is not their first glance alwaysat Julien? I have noticed that distinctly. And yet they know quite wellthat he never speaks to them, unless he is asked a question. It is only myself that he addresses. He thinks that I have a lofty nature. He replies totheir objections only so far as politeness requires. He becomes respectfulat once. With me, he will discuss things for hours on end, he is not sureof his own ideas if I offer the slightest objection. After all, all this winterwe have not heard a shot fired; the only possible way to attract attentionhas been by one's talk. Well, my father, a superior man, and one whowill greatly advance the fortunes of our family, respects Julien. All therest hate him, no one despises him, except my mother's religious friends.'

　　The Comte de Caylus had or pretended to have a great passion forhorses; he spent all his time in his stables, and often took his luncheonthere. This great passion, combined with his habit of never laughing, hadwon him a great esteem among his friends: he was the 'st............