If the moral geography of Europe be ever written, the region south of
the Alps will certainly be colored with that tint, whatever it be,
that describes the blessedness of a divorced existence. In other lands,
especially in our own, the separated individual labors under no common
difficulty in his advances to society. The story--there must be a
story--of his separation is told in various ways, all, of course, to his
disparagement. Tyrant or victim, it is hard to say under which title
he comes out best,--so much for the man; but for the woman there is no
plea: judgment is pronounced at once, without the merits. Fugitive, or
fled from,--who inquires? she is one that few men dare to recognize.
The very fact that to mention her name exacts an explanation, is
condemnatory. What a boon to all such must it be that there is a
climate mild enough for their malady, and a country that will suit their
constitution; and not only that, but a region which actually pays homage
to their infirmity, and makes of their martyrdom a triumph! As you go to
Norway for salmon-fishing,--to Bengal to hunt tigers,--to St. Petersburg
to eat caviare, so when divorced, if you really know the blessing
of your state, go take a house on the Arno. Vast as are the material
resources of our globe, the moral ones are infinitely greater; nor need
we despair, some day or other, of finding an island where a certificate
of fraudulent bankruptcy will be deemed a letter of credit, and an
evidence of insolvency be accepted as qualification to open a bank.
La Contessa inhabited a splendid palace, furnished with magnificence;
her gardens were one of the sights of the capital, not only for their
floral display, but that they contained a celebrated group by Canova, of
which no copy existed. Her gallery was, if not extensive, enriched with
some priceless treasures of art; and with all these she possessed
high rank, for her card bore the name of La Comtesse de Glencore, née
Comtesse della Torre.
The reader thus knows at once, if not actually as much as we do
ourselves, all that we mean to impart to him; and now let us come back
to that equipage around which swarmed the fashion of Florence, eagerly
pressing forward to catch a word, a smile, or even a look, and actually
perched on every spot from which they could obtain a glimpse of those
within. A young Russian Prince, with his arm in a sling, had just
recited the incident of his' late duel; a Neapolitan Minister had
delivered a rose-colored epistle from a Royal Highness of his own
court. A Spanish Grandee had deposited his offering of camellias, which
actually covered the front cushions of the carriage; and now a little
lane was formed for the approach of the old Duke de Brignolles, who
made his advance with a mingled courtesy and haughtiness that told of
Versailles and long ago.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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