n,heraldedthefacttometerminatinghiscommunicationbyanobligingexpressionofhisdesirethatIshouldcontinue,asheretofore,hisablestassistantandmosttrustedfriendandapropositiontoraisemysalarybyanadditionaltwohundredfrancsperannum.Ithankedhim,gavenoconclusiveansweratthetime,and,whenhehadleftme,threwoffmyblouse,putonmycoat,andsetoutonalongwalkoutsidethePortedeFlandre,inorder,asIthought,tocoolmyblood,calmmynerves,andshakemydisarrangedideasintosomeorder.Infact,Ihadjustreceivedwhatwasvirtuallymydismissal.Icouldnotconceal,Ididnotdesiretoconcealfrommyselftheconvictionthat,beingnowcertainthatMdlle.ReuterwasdestinedtobecomeMadamePeletitwouldnotdoformetoremainadependentdwellerinthehousewhichwassoontobehers.HerpresentdemeanourtowardsmewasdeficientneitherindignitynorproprietybutIknewherformerfeelingwasunchanged.Decorumnowrepressed,andPolicymaskedit,butOpportunitywouldbetoostrongforeitherofthese—Temptationwouldshivertheirrestraints.
Iwasnopope—Icouldnotboastinfallibility:inshort,ifIstayed,theprobabilitywasthat,inthreemonths’time,apracticalmodernFrenchnovelwouldbeinfullprocessofconcoctionundertheroofoftheunsuspectingPelet.Now,modernFrenchnovelsarenottomytaste,eitherpracticallyortheoretically.Limitedashadyetbeenmyexperienceoflife,Ihadoncehadtheopportunityofcontemplating,nearathand,anexampleoftheresultsproducedbyacourseofinterestingandromanticdomestictreachery.Nogoldenhalooffictionwasaboutthisexample,Isawitbareandreal,anditwasveryloathsome.Isawaminddegradedbythepracticeofmeansubterfuge,bythehabitofperfidiousdeception,andabodydepravedbytheinfectiousinfluenceofthevice-pollutedsoul.IhadsufferedmuchfromtheforcedandprolongedviewofthisspectaclethosesufferingsIdidnotnowregret,fortheirsimplerecollectionactedasamostwholesomeantidotetotemptation.Theyhadinscribedonmyreasontheconvictionthatunlawfulpleasure,trenchingonanother’srights,isdelusiveandenvenomedpleasure—itshollownessdisappointsatthetime,itspoisoncruellytorturesafterwards,itseffectsdepraveforever.
Fromallthisresulte