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270 much as a scandal which would have revealed the secret of the comedy played by her, and proved, besides, that so far from my seeking to do violence to Madame Beauharnais, I was long since tired of and bored with her. 'I am quite sure,' said Bonaparte to her, 'from what you tell me, that Barras failed in his attempts on your virtue, madame, in spite of his not having the reputation of a sentimental lover in the habit of sighing at the feet of cruel beauties. But I have for so long seen you on a certain intimate footing with him that doubts might truly have arisen in any other mind than mine; you will admit, madame, that it is allowable to think, without showing oneself too severe, that women seeking to hold him at arm's length should at least take earlier steps, so as not to be exposed to a scene like the one you have just told me of. There are accidents for which a woman is responsible when she has not taken means to prevent them.' It would be thought that Madame Beauharnais would have been abashed by such excellent reasoning, but it will be seen what ruses were at the service of the courtesan. 'Why,' she argued, 'had she not called at Barras' house would she have been fortunate enough to meet Bonaparte? If she had of late gone there more frequently than before, had it not always been from a desire to meet him more often? If she had perchance overlooked many things repugnant to the elegance and delicacy of her morals, would she