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this¡¡evening£¿¡¨



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a¡¡present¡¡which¡¡she¡¡preferred¡¡to¡¡all¡¡the¡¡rest£»¡¡even¡¡the¡¡money¡£¡¡If

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learned¡¡physician¡¡reckons¡¡as¡¡comprising¡¡one¡¡third¡¡of¡¡her¡¡fallen¡¡class

whom¡¡our¡¡monstrous¡¡Paris¡¡absorbs£»¡¡it¡¡must¡¡be¡¡stated¡¡that¡¡she¡¡remained

in¡¡the¡¡upper¡¡and¡¡more¡¡decent¡¡regions¡¡of¡¡gallantry¡£¡¡At¡¡an¡¡epoch¡¡when£»

as¡¡Monsieur¡¡de¡¡Valois¡¡said£»¡¡Woman¡¡no¡¡longer¡¡existed£»¡¡she¡¡was¡¡simply

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Rhodopes£»¡¡the¡¡Imperias£»¡¡the¡¡Ninons¡¡of¡¡the¡¡past¡£¡¡One¡¡of¡¡the¡¡most

distinguished¡¡writers¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Restoration¡¡has¡¡taken¡¡her¡¡under¡¡his

protection£»¡¡perhaps¡¡he¡¡may¡¡marry¡¡her¡£¡¡He¡¡is¡¡a¡¡journalist£»¡¡and

consequently¡¡above¡¡public¡¡opinion£»¡¡inasmuch¡¡as¡¡he¡¡manufactures¡¡it

afresh¡¡every¡¡year¡¡or¡¡two¡£







CHAPTER¡¡III



MADEMOISELLE¡¡CORMON



In¡¡nearly¡¡all¡¡the¡¡second¡­class¡¡prefectures¡¡of¡¡France¡¡there¡¡exists¡¡one

salon¡¡which¡¡is¡¡the¡¡meeting¡­ground¡¡of¡¡those¡¡considerable¡¡and¡¡well¡­

considered¡¡persons¡¡of¡¡the¡¡community¡¡who¡¡are£»¡¡nevertheless£»¡¡NOT¡¡the

cream¡¡of¡¡the¡¡best¡¡society¡£¡¡The¡¡master¡¡and¡¡mistress¡¡of¡¡such¡¡an

establishment¡¡are¡¡counted¡¡among¡¡the¡¡leading¡¡persons¡¡of¡¡the¡¡town£»¡¡they

are¡¡received¡¡wherever¡¡it¡¡may¡¡please¡¡them¡¡to¡¡visit£»¡¡no¡¡fete¡¡is¡¡given£»

no¡¡formal¡¡or¡¡diplomatic¡¡dinner¡¡takes¡¡place£»¡¡to¡¡which¡¡they¡¡are¡¡not

invited¡£¡¡But¡¡the¡¡chateau¡¡people£»¡¡heads¡¡of¡¡families¡¡possessing¡¡great

estates£»¡¡in¡¡short£»¡¡the¡¡highest¡¡personages¡¡in¡¡the¡¡department£»¡¡do¡¡not¡¡go

to¡¡their¡¡houses£»¡¡social¡¡intercourse¡¡between¡¡them¡¡is¡¡carried¡¡on¡¡by

cards¡¡from¡¡one¡¡to¡¡the¡¡other£»¡¡and¡¡a¡¡dinner¡¡or¡¡soiree¡¡accepted¡¡and

returned¡£



This¡¡salon£»¡¡in¡¡which¡¡the¡¡lesser¡¡nobility£»¡¡the¡¡clergy£»¡¡and¡¡the

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mind¡¡of¡¡the¡¡region¡¡reside¡¡in¡¡that¡¡solid£»¡¡unostentatious¡¡society£»¡¡where

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indifference¡¡is¡¡shown¡¡to¡¡luxury¡¡and¡¡dress£»pleasures¡¡which¡¡are

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it¡¡does¡¡investments¡¡on¡¡the¡¡Grand¡­Livre£»¡¡it¡¡scoffs¡¡at¡¡fashions¡¡and

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in¡¡wax¡¡when¡¡it¡¡gets¡¡into¡¡their¡¡hive¡£



In¡¡this¡¡society¡¡gossip¡¡is¡¡often¡¡turned¡¡into¡¡solemn¡¡verdicts¡£¡¡Young

women¡¡are¡¡seldom¡¡seen¡¡there£»¡¡when¡¡they¡¡come¡¡it¡¡is¡¡to¡¡seek¡¡approbation

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big¡­wigs¡¡of¡¡the¡¡place¡¡choose¡¡a¡¡place¡¡of¡¡meeting£»¡¡as¡¡they¡¡did¡¡at

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and¡¡character¡¡and¡¡position¡¡offers¡¡no¡¡umbrage¡¡to¡¡the¡¡vanities¡¡or¡¡the

interests¡¡of¡¡any¡¡one¡£



For¡¡some¡¡years¡¡the¡¡upper¡¡classes¡¡of¡¡Alencon¡¡had¡¡met¡¡in¡¡this¡¡way¡¡at¡¡the

house¡¡of¡¡an¡¡old¡¡maid£»¡¡whose¡¡fortune¡¡was£»¡¡unknown¡¡to¡¡herself£»¡¡the¡¡aim

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