The excerpt represents the core issue or deciding factor on which you must meditate, and is drawn from The Deserted Woman by Honore de Balzac: and high demands of self; all the flowers so soon wither that enrich
at first the life of delicate but strong emotions, and keep alive the
loyalty of the heart.
But these two, once launched forth into the vast of sentiment, went
far indeed in theory, sounding the depths in either soul, testing the
sincerity of their expressions; only, whereas Gaston's experiments
were made unconsciously, Mme. de Beauseant had a purpose in all that
she said. Bringing her natural and acquired subtlety to the work, she
sought to learn M. de Nueil's opinions by advancing, as far as she
could do so, views diametrically opposed to her own. So witty and so
gracious was she, so much herself with this stranger, with whom she
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