He never condescended to seek a reward or even an acknowledgment of the infinite pains which he gave himself; his wife thought his luxury and good taste her natural right, and she felt no gratitude for the fact that her pride and self-love had never suffered.

It was thus in everything.

Kindness has its mishaps; often it is attributed to temperament; people are seldom willing to recognize it as the secret effort of a noble soul.
About this period of her life, Madame Felix de Vandenesse had attained to a degree of worldly knowledge which enabled her to quit the insignificant role of a timid, listening, and observing supernumerary,--a part played, they say, for some time, by Giulia Grisi in the chorus at La Scala.

The young countess now felt herself capable of attempting the part of prima-donna, and she did so on several occasions.

To the great satisfaction of her husband, she began to mingle in conversations.