I have mentioned the marriage of this favourite of the
gods. People wondered at it excessively, but it would be
extremely unfair to M. Meyer not to maintain that he decided
to ask for the hand of Mademoiselle de Turenne under circum-
stances that were entirely to his honour. The young girl
belonged to a family just as illustrious as it was poor, and
though she had very rich relations, none of them attempted
to do anything in her favour nor even to try to marry
her in her own sphere. Arthur Meyer was a frequent visitor
at the house of her parents, and had many opportunities of
watching the revolts of a youthful mind disgusted at what it
perceived of the injustices of the world. One day she told
him that she did not know what she could do to escape the
misery of her existence, adding that she knew that only two
roads were open to her, either a convent or the free life of
a woman who had put aside all prejudices and the
principles in which she had been reared. " And," she
added, " I don't want to become a nun, I have not got
the courage to leave the society to which I belong, and I
would never commit suicide. I have often wondered what
I could do."

Meyer was above all chivalrous, and the despair of that
young and lovely woman touched him deeply. He did not

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love her, and he knew very well that she could feel no love
for him, but he asked her to become his wife, and, after some
hesitation, she accepted his offer. Of course society rose up
in arms when it heard about it, but nevertheless neither
her uncle, Count Louis de Turenne, nor her aunt, the Marquise
de Nicolai, whose wealth could be counted by millions, ever
tried by making her a small dowry to give her the chance of
marrying within her own sphere.
