woman full of soul, and calumniated, but resigned,--in short, a
wounded angel.

She arrived early, so as to pose on a sofa near the fire beside Madame
d'Espard, as she wished to be first seen: that is, in one of those
attitudes in which science is concealed beneath an exquisite
naturalness; a studied attitude, putting in relief the beautiful
serpentine outline which, starting from the foot, rises gracefully to
the hip, and continues with adorable curves to the shoulder,
presenting, in fact, a profile of the whole body. With a subtlety
which few women would have dreamed of, Diane, to the great amazement
of the marquise, had brought her son with her. After a moment's
reflection, Madame d'Espard pressed the princess's hand, with a look
of intelligence that seemed to say:--

"I understand you! By making d'Arthez accept all the difficulties at
once you will not have to conquer them later."

Rastignac brought d'Arthez. The princess made none of those
compliments to the celebrated author with which vulgar persons
overwhelmed him; but she treated him with a kindness full of graceful
respect, which, with her, was the utmost extent of her concessions.
Her manner was doubtless the same with the King of France and the
royal princes. She seemed happy to see this great man, and glad that
she had sought him. Persons of taste, like the princess, are
especially distinguished for their manner of listening, for an
affability without superciliousness, which is to politeness what
practice is to virtue. When the celebrated man spoke, she took an
attentive attitude, a thousand times more flattering than the
best-seasoned compliments. The mutual presentation was made quietly,