She was the authoress of some literary pieces, which the world willingly and speedily let die; but even very moderate pretensions to _bel-esprit_ may have seemed wonderfully refreshing to a man wearied to death by the illiterate stupidity of his daily companion.[17] This lasted some three or four years down to 1749.

As we shall see, he discovered the infidelity of his mistress and broke with her.

But by this time his wife's virtues seem to have gone a little sour, as disregarded prudence and thwarted piety are so apt to do.

It was too late now to knit up again the ravelled threads of domestic concord.
During a second absence of his wife in Champagne (1754), he formed a new attachment to the daughter of a financier's widow (Mdlle.

Voland).