by proposed marriages, on the west by jealousies, and on the east by
sour remarks.

"And so," she went on, striking an attitude, "you see a woman wrinkled
at nine-and-twenty, ten years before the time fixed by the rules of
Doctor Bianchon, a woman whose skin is ruined at an early age, who
turns as yellow as a quince when she is yellow at all--we have seen
some turn green. When we have reached that point, we try to justify
our normal condition; then we turn and rend the terrible passion of
Paris with teeth as sharp as rat's teeth. We have Puritan women here,
sour enough to tear the laces of Parisian finery, and eat out all the
poetry of your Parisian beauties, who undermine the happiness of
others while they cry up their walnuts and rancid bacon, glorify this
squalid mouse-hole, and the dingy color and conventual small of our
delightful life at Sancerre."

"I admire such courage, madame," said Bianchon. "When we have to
endure such misfortunes, it is well to have the wit to make a virtue
of necessity."

Amazed at the brilliant move by which Dinah thus placed provincial
life at the mercy of her guests, in anticipation of their sarcasms,
Gatien Boirouge nudged Lousteau's elbow, with a glance and a smile,
which said:

"Well! did I say too much?"

"But, madame," said Lousteau, "you are proving that we are still in
Paris. I shall steal this gem of description; it will be worth ten
thousand francs to me in an article."