(1768–1823), the visionary poet Adam Oehlenschläger (1779–1850) and Franz Tieck, the
sculptor brother of the prominent poet Ludwig Tieck (1773–1853). The pressure was off
Constant, and indeed during August Germaine was away at Unspünnen, near Interlaken
in German-speaking Switzerland, for the picturesque shepherds’ festival, allowing him to
finish an essay on German theatre^32 and to prepare Wallstein for the Genevan printer.
When it appeared in Paris on 26 January 1809, Wallstein achieved some measure of
critical acclaim, despite its being too lengthy for a stage production.^33 By 25 March 1809
the first edition was sold out and a second was planned. Constant sent a copy of the
adaptation to Chateaubriand, whose letter of thanks was full of admiration.^34 (Constant
for his part was to be strongly critical of Chateaubriand’s Les Martyrs later that month,
privately confessing his dislike of its overblown Romantic language which he told Anne
de Nassau in a letter of 30 March 1809 he found monotonous.^35 ) The publication of
Wallstein provided the perfect excuse for Constant to return to Paris so as to be present
when it reached the bookshops, while Germaine took up residence in Geneva for the
winter. On 15 December 1808 he reached Juste’s house at Brevans and was reunited with
Charlotte.
In all the time he had been at Coppet Constant had been unable to summon up the
courage to tell Madame de Staël that he was married to Charlotte. In fact he had not even
dared to tell his relatives in Lausanne, not even his aunt, Anne de Nassau, although they
all knew of his close friendship with her. On the day he arrived at Brevans he wrote to his
aunt telling her of the frosty reception he had received from his father—their differences
over money had now poisoned their relationship irretrievably—and summarized his
situation thus:
I am nearing the goal I have aimed for doggedly and with such
effort for so long; there are moments when I am happy with it. In
Madame D[u Tertre] there is gentleness and the capacity for self-
sacrifice, her feelings for me are uncomplicated, and all of this
soothes me. But often I am overcome by my memories: my heart
has grown accustomed to being with someone else, and the roots I
need to tear up are very deep and bleed secretly. My hope lies in
the passage of time, in the things that will happen, in an unknown
power that has seemed on occasion to be protecting me. Then I
shall no longer have to struggle against public disapproval, against
the false and distressing situation I find myself in, against feelings
that are wearing me out. I shall no longer be forced to blush at a
pretence I find degrading.^36But yet again there was no hint of a firm decision to make a final break
with Germaine, indeed there was still every reason to believe that he
would be drawn back sooner or later into the whirlwind of her emotions,
as Prosper de Barante aptly described it.
37
The precautions Constant took
in Paris during January 1809 to prevent anyone from suspecting that he
had married Charlotte were extraordinary. He left her in the city while he
Benjamin constant 202