CHAPTER XXX. M. PAUL.

Yetthereaderisadvisednottobeinanyhurrywithhiskindlyconclusions,ortosuppose,withanover-hastycharity,thatfromthatdayM.Paulbecameachangedcharacter—easytolivewith,andnolongerapttoflashdangeranddiscomfortroundhim. Nohewasnaturallyalittlemanofunreasonablemoods.Whenover-wrought,whichheoftenwas,hebecameacutelyirritableand,besides,hisveinsweredarkwithalividbelladonnatincture,theessenceofjealousy.Idonotmeanmerelythetenderjealousyoftheheart,butthatsterner,narrowersentimentwhoseseatisinthehead. Iusedtothink,asIsatlookingatM.Paul,whilehewasknittinghisbroworprotrudinghislipoversomeexerciseofmine,whichhadnotasmanyfaultsashewished(forhelikedmetocommitfaults:aknotofblunderswassweettohimasaclusterofnuts),thathehadpointsofresemblancetoNapoleonBonaparte.Ithinksostill. Inashamelessdisregardofmagnanimity,heresembledthegreatEmperor.M.Paulwouldhavequarrelledwithtwentylearnedwomen,wouldhaveunblushinglycarriedonasystemofpettybickeringandrecriminationwithawholecapitalofcoteries,nevertroublinghimselfaboutlossorlackofdignity.HewouldhaveexiledfiftyMadamedeSta?ls,if,theyhadannoyed,offended,outrivalled,oropposedhim. IwellrememberahotepisodeofhiswithacertainMadamePanache—aladytemporarilyemployedbyMadameBecktogivelessonsinhistory.Shewasclever—thatis,sheknewagooddealand,besides,thoroughlypossessedtheartofmakingthemostofwhatsheknewofwordsandconfidencesheheldunlimitedcommand.HerpersonalappearancewasfarfromdestituteofadvantagesIbelievemanypeoplewouldhavepronouncedher“afinewoman”andyettherewerepointsinherrobustandampleattractions,aswellasinherbustlinganddemonstrativepresence,which,itappeared,theniceandcapricioustastesofM.Paulcouldnotawaywith.Thesoundofhervoice,echoingthroughthecarré,wouldputhimintoastrangetakingherlongfreestep—almoststride—alongthecorridor,wouldoftenmakehimsnatchuphispapersanddecampontheinstant. Withmaliciousintenthebethoughthimself,oneday,tointrudeonherclassasquickaslightninghegatheredhermethodofinstructionitdifferedfromapetplanofhisown.Withlittleceremony,andlesscourtesy,hepointedoutwhathetermedhererrors.Whetherheexpectedsubmissionandattention,Iknownothemetanacridopposition,accompaniedbyaroundreprimandforhiscertainlyunjustifiableinterference. Insteadofwithdrawingwithdignity,ashemightstillhavedone,hethrewdownthegauntletofdefiance.MadamePanache,bellicoseasaPenthesilea,pickeditupinaminute.Shesnappedherfingersintheintermeddler’sfacesherusheduponhimwithastormofwords.M.EmanuelwaseloquentbutMadamePanachewasvoluble.Asystemoffierceantagonismensued.Insteadoflaughinginhissleeveathisfairfoe,withallhersoreamour-propreandloudself-assertion,M.Pauldetestedherwithintenseseriousnesshehonouredherwithhisearnestfuryhepursuedhervindictivelyandimplacably,refusingtorestpeaceablyinhisbed,toderiveduebenefitfromhismeals,orevenserenelytorelishhiscigar,tillshewasfairlyrootedoutoftheestablishment.TheProfessorconquered,butIcannotsaythatthelaurelsofthisvictoryshadowedgracefullyhistemples.OnceIventuredtohintasmuch.TomygreatsurpriseheallowedthatImightberight,butaverredthatwhenbroughtintocontactwitheithermenorwomenofthecoarse,self-complacentquality,whereofMadamePanachewasaspecimen,hehadnocontroloverhisownpassionsanunspeakableandactiveaversionimpelledhimtoawarofextermination. Threemonthsafterwards,hearingthathisvanquishedfoehadmetwithreverses,andwaslikelytobereallydistressedforwantofemployment,heforgothishatred,andalikeactiveingoodandevil,hemovedheavenandearthtillhefoundheraplace.Uponhercomingtomakeupformerdifferences,andthankhimforhisrecentkindness,theoldvoice—alittleloud—theoldmanner—alittleforward—soacteduponhimthatintenminuteshestartedupandbowedher,orratherhimself,outoftheroom,inatransportofnervousirritation. Topursueasomewhataudaciousparallel,inaloveofpower,inaneagergraspaftersupremacy,M.EmanuelwaslikeBonaparte.Hewasamannotalwaystobesubmittedto.Sometimesitwasneedfultoresistitwasrighttostandstill,tolookupintohiseyesandtellhimthathisrequirementswentbeyondreason—thath