[A Daughter of Eve by Honore de Balzac]@TWC D-Link book
A Daughter of Eve

CHAPTER IX
20/24

It looks to me as if there were no mistakes in spelling here." The count gathered up the letters hastily and gave them to his wife, who took them to a table as if to see that they were all there.
"Now," said Vandenesse to Florine, "will you let me have those letters for these ?" showing her five bank-bills of ten thousand francs each.
"They'll replace the sums you have paid for him." "Ah!" cried Florine, "didn't I kill myself body and soul in the provinces to get him money,--I, who'd have cut my hand off to serve him?
But that's men! damn your soul for them and they'll march over you rough-shod! He shall pay me for this!" Madame de Vandenesse was disappearing with the letters.
"Hi! stop, stop, my fine mask!" cried Florine; "leave me one to confound him with." "Not possible," said Vandenesse.
"Why not ?" "That mask is your ex-rival; but you needn't fear her now." "Well, she might have had the grace to say thank you," cried Florine.
"But you have the fifty thousand francs instead," said Vandenesse, bowing to her.
It is extremely rare for young men, when driven to suicide, to attempt it a second time if the first fails.

When it doesn't cure life, it cures all desire for voluntary death.

Raoul felt no disposition to try it again when he found himself in a more painful position than that from which he had just been rescued.

He tried to see the countess and explain to her the nature of his love, which now shone more vividly in his soul than ever.

But the first time they met in society, Madame de Vandenesse gave him that fixed and contemptuous look which at once and forever puts an impassable gulf between a man and a woman.


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