The excerpt represents the core issue or deciding factor on which you must meditate, and is drawn from Albert Savarus by Honore de Balzac: such a living and secret experience of love.
Next to the pleasure of admiring the woman we love, comes that of
seeing her admired by every one else. Rodolphe was enjoying both at
once. Love is a treasury of memories, and though Rodolphe's was
already full, he added to it pearls of great price; smiles shed aside
for him alone, stolen glances, tones in her singing which Francesca
addressed to him alone, but which made Tinti pale with jealousy, they
were so much applauded. All his strength of desire, the special
expression of his soul, was thrown over the beautiful Roman, who
became unchangeably the beginning and the end of all his thoughts and
actions. Rodolphe loved as every woman may dream of being loved, with
Albert Savarus |