In a soul completely detached--a girl living in a lonely castle in the
depth of the country--the slightest astonishment may bring on a slight
admiration, and, if the faintest hope intervene, cause the birth of
love and crystallisation(4).
In this case love delights, to begin with, just as a diversion.
Surprise and hope are strongly supported by the need, felt at the age
of sixteen, of love and sadness. It is well known that the restlessness
of that age is a thirst for love, and a peculiarity of thirst is not to
be extremely fastidious about the kind of draught that fortune offers.
Let us recapitulate the seven stages of love. They are:--
1. Admiration.
2. What pleasure, etc.
3. Hope.
4. Love is born.
5. First crystallisation.
6. Doubt appears.
7. Second crystallisation.
Between Nos. 1 and 2 may pass one year. One month between Nos. 2 and 3;
but if hope does not make haste in coming, No. 2 is insensibly resigned
as a source of unhappiness.
A twinkling of the eye between Nos. 3 and 4.
There is no interval between Nos. 4 and 5. The sequence can only be
broken by intimate intercourse.
Some days may pass between Nos. 5 and 6, according to the degree to
which the character is impetuous and used to risk, but between Nos. 6
and 7 there is no interval.
[Pg 30]