Original Short Stories, Volume 5 (of 13)

served to rub the chalk marks from the slate. A little red in the face, his voice thick, he was talking away to himself now, lost in his memories, gently drifting through the old sc

ng against the wall, my ha

ght pause h

! She was so sweet-and good and true-and charming! She had such e

ent. I asked: "Why d

d! She had a dowry of thirty thousand francs, and she received several offers-but she never would! She seemed sad a

one of those humble and cruel tragedies of honest, straightforward, blameless hearts, one of those secret trage

married her, Mo

looked at

arry

iselle

hy

ved her more th

trange, round, bewilde

I? How? Who t

her that you delayed for so long your marriage to yo

artbreaking yet ridiculous manner, like a sponge which one squeezes. He was coughing, spitting and blowing his nose in the chalk rag, wiping his eyes and sneezing; then the tears would again begin

ded on the stairs. "Haven't you men

ried: "Yes, madame, we

I cried: "Monsieur Chantal, my friend Chantal, listen to me; your

coming-poor girl! I am comin

d been used for marking off the chalk from the slate; then he appeared, half white and half red,

ng: "I beg your pardon, I beg your pardon, Monsieur Chantal, for ha

aying: "Yes-yes-there

t I thought of a little stratagem. As he was growing worried, looking at himself in the mirror, I said to him: "All yo

each one wished to look for the speck, which could not be found; and stories

ng. She must indeed have been pretty, with her gentle, calm eyes, so large that it looked as though she never closed them

n her, to find out whether she, too, had loved him; whether she also had suffered, as he had, from this long, secret, poignant grief, which one cannot see, know, or guess, but which breaks forth at night in the loneliness of the da

g a toy to see what is inside: "If you could have seen Mo

sking: "What?

e was indee

hy

eeply moved.

ur acc

y acc

you in the days gone by; and what a pang it ha

d open, suddenly closed so quickly that they seemed shut forever. She slipped fro

help! Mademoisel

d, and while they were looking for towels, wat

seworthy and necessary act. I was asking myself: "Did I do wrong or right?" They had that shut up in their hearts, just as some people carry a bullet in a

ppressed suffering; and, perhaps, also this short embrace may infuse in their veins a little of this thrill which they would not have known without it, and will give to those two dead souls, brou

TH

uredly," he exclaimed, "assuredly, I know of no viler fault nor any meaner action than to attack a girl's innocence, to corrupt her, to profit by a moment of unconscious weakness and of madness, when h

ense enough for two, who cannot recover his self-possession and master the runaway brute within him, and who loses his head on the edge of the precipice over which she is going to fall, is as contemptible as any man wh

t to exceed the limits of the game, any more than at lawn tennis; even when the parts are inverted and a man's adversary is some precocious, curious, seductive girl, who shows you immediately that she has not

tive songs of the Sirens, difficult only to touch that pretty table covered with a perfectly new cloth, at which you are invited to take a seat before any one else, in such a suggestive voice, and are requested to quench your thirst and to taste that new wine, whose fresh and strange flavor you will never forget. But who would hesitate to exercise such self-restraint if,

d like myself may indulge in, there is a story hidden, and, sad as it is,

ng on the arms of his easy-chair and his eyes looking into space, he continued in the slow voice

nger and was bold even to rashness. He was ardent in the pursuit of pleasure, and had an irresistible charm about him, one of those men in whom we excuse the greatest excesses as the most natural things in the worl

r than his adviser, kept me informed of his slightest pranks, though he always pretended to be speaking about one of his friends, and not about himself; and I must confess that his youthful impetuosity, his careless gaiety, and his amorous ardor someti

m, the poor fellow at last discovered what love was, that real love which takes up its abode in the very centre of the heart and in the brain, and is proud of being there, and w

acted at the convent school, instructed by what she saw and heard and knew was going on around her, in spite of her deceitful and artificial conduct, knowing that neither her father nor her mother, who were very proud of their race as well as avaricious, would ever agr

, and he allowed himself to be carried away by that current which buffet

eeting, either accidentally, as it seemed, or at parties and balls. She had yielded her

ese former troubles came back to his mind; and then, in a hoarse v

to break into a house, he went in by the servants' entrance, which she had left open, slunk barefoot down a long passage and up

rightened at that unusual noise which disturbed the silence of the house, she jumped out of bed, opened the door, saw some one indistinctly running away and keeping close to the wall, and, immediately thinking that there were burglars in the house, she aroused her husband and the servants by her frantic screams. The unfortunate man understood t

tion. He defended himself with intentional awkwardness when he was brought up for trial, kept up his part with the most perfect self-possession and without any signs of the despair and anguish that he felt in his heart,

prayer, and he intrusted his will 'to the priest who administered extreme unction to him, and requested him to give it to me. In it, without mentioning anybody, and witho

irl married and had several charming children, whom she brought up

R DE

ic, excitable, yet upright. All his beliefs were fixed, never varying. He belie

tion: "Why has God done this?" And he would dwell on this continually, putting himself in the place of God, and he almost invar

; it is right for me to know the reason of H

The "whys" and "becauses" always balanced. Dawn was given to make our awakening pleasant, the days to ripen

ever come to the priest of the fact that nature has no intentions; that, on the contrary

add: "It seems as though God, Himself, were dissatisfied with this work of His." She was the tempter who led the first man astray, and who since then had ever been

f, and though he knew that he was invulnerable, he grew a

g man. One must not approach her without defensive precautions and fear of possible snares

ith them, nevertheless, because he felt that at the bottom of their fettered and humble hearts the

him, in their lowered eyes, and in their resigned tears when he reproved them roughly. And he would shake

in a little house near him. He was bent

him a hug, drawing him to her heart, while he sought unconsciously to release himself from this embrace which neverthe

ould see the joy of life sparkling in her eyes. Sometimes she would dart forward to catch some flying creature, crying out as she brought it back: "Look, uncle, how pretty it is! I want to hu

e, who kept house for Abbe Marignan, told h

ews roused in him, he stood there, his face cov

d to think and speak he cried: "I

sieur le Cure! I tell you, she goes there every night when your sister has gone to bed. They

usly, as he always did when he was in deep thought. When he began

e exasperation of her spiritual father, of her guardian and pastor, deceived and tricked by a child, and the selfish e

ich he was accustomed to carry in his nocturnal walks when visiting the sick. And he smiled at the enormous club which he twirled in a threatening manner i

n the sill, surprised by the splendid moonl

ose poetic dreamers, the Fathers of the Church, he felt suddenly distr

f their slender branches, scarcely in full leaf, while the giant honeysuckle, clinging to the wall of hi

as drunkards drink wine, and he walked along slowly

uishing charm of serene nights. At each moment was heard the short, metallic note of the cricket, and distant nightingales shook out their s

ot why. He seemed weakened, suddenly exhausted; he wanted to

mist, a white haze through which the moonbeams passed, silvering it and making it gleam, hung around and ab

his soul filled with a growin

ame over him; he was asking one of those q

more charming than day, softer than dawn or evening? And does why this seductive planet, more poetic than the sun, that seems des

gsters sleep like the others? Why does it p

enervation of the body? Why this display of enchantments that human beings do not see, since they are lying i

e could not

w, under the arch of trees bathed in a shini

nce, to the placid landscape in which they were framed as by a heavenly hand. The two seemed but a single being, the being for whom was d

Ruth and Boaz, the accomplishment of the will of the Lord, in some of those glorious stories of which the sacred books tell. The

ps God has made such nights as t

it was his niece. But he asked himself now if he would not be disobeying God.

med, as if he had intruded into a te

R, A

, a flying mist, veiled the gas lamps with a transparent fog, made the side walks reflect the light

edit Lyonnais, the Rue Vivienne, and several other streets. I suddenly descried a large beer hall w

ized a "regular," one of those frequenters of beer houses who come in the morning when the place opens, and do not leave till evening when it is about to close. He was dirty, bald on top of his head, with a fringe of iron-gray hair falling on the collar of his frock coat. His clothes, much too large for him, appeared to have been made for

beside him, this individual sai

goe

closely scanned his featu

do not re

I do

Bar

s Count Jean des Barre

mbfounded that I could find nothing to

how goes i

onded p

along a

ou doing no

doing," he answer

e getting red

every

" was his reply, accompanied wit

of the marble table, to attract the a

, two '

the distanc

for the fou

more distant st

they

"bocks," which he set down, foaming, on the table, spillin

d replaced it on the table, while he sucked in the f

is the

hing new to tell

man. I am a

nous tone of

does it a

an I do? One mu

shoul

have occ

nd why one should work. But when one has enough to live on, what's the use? What is the good of working? Do you work for yourself, or

e on the marble tabl

thing. Yes, yes, I do nothing. I let things slide, and I am growing old. In dying I shall have nothing to regret

been brought him, passed his tongue

m in astonishm

not always b

ver since I l

t is simply horrible. Come, you must have something t

ut half-past one in the morning, I go home to bed, because the place closes up; that annoys me more than anything. In the last ten years I hav

to Paris what did

oirs to the Ca

t ne

ed the water

ou take th

in the Latin Quarter. The students make too much n

he was making fun of

rrow; some disappointment in love, no doubt! It is easy to see

ut I look forty

ead a few long hairs waved over a skin of doubtful cleanliness. He had enormous eyelashes, a heavy mustache, and a thick beard. Sudd

your age. You surely must have

rep

I never go out into the air. Nothing makes a

uld not be

d? One could not get as bald-headed as

king dandruff down on

always bee

ard the chandelier which

the gas. It destroys the hair. Wai

n have you been so morbid? Your life is not normal, i

reat shock when I was very young, and that turned

t wa

or six months there during vacation. You remember that large gray building, in the middle of a great park, and the long avenues of oak

ee every one bow before them. They were Monsieur le Comte and Madame la Comtesse to all the country round

appy, pleased with everything, as one i

I was playing about in the shrubbery of the park, among the branches and leaves

le line of trees swayed beneath the gusts of wind, groaning, and seeming t

ay like birds, circling and falling, and the

f the wind and of the branches excited me, made me tear abo

es, in order to surprise them, as though I had been a veritable prowler. But I stop

estion of your mother. It is you. I tell you that

replied in

uard it for him and I will not allow you to squander

seizing his wife by the throat, began to slap her with

t do so. And my father, like a madman, kept on striking her. My mother rolled over on the ground, covering her face with her ha

tural, in presence of irreparable disasters. My childish mind was bewildered, distracted. I began to cry with all my might, without knowing why; a prey to a fearful dread, sorrow, and aston

c with fear, and devoured by a sorrow capable of breaking forever the heart of a poor child. I was cold, hungry, perhaps. At length day

hunger at the foot of a tree if the park guard

er alone spoke to me "'How you frightened me,

gan to weep. My father di

ater I return

, what strange phenomenon has warped my ideas, I do not know. But I no longer had a taste for anything, a wish for anything, a love for anybody, a desire for anything whatever, any ambition, or

s pipe again, trembling as he was, he broke it. "Confound it!" he said, with a gest

king with smoke and full of men drinking, his e

F

d the comtesse, "y

ir grandmother. Then they said good-night to M. le Cure, who

long arms clad in black round their necks, and kissing them tenderly

and the little beings went off, the

ildren, M. le Cure,

fond,

ed her bright eyes

ude never weighed t

some

and then added: "But I was

you know

was made to be a priest

e kept star

and sustains us? What is it that drove you, impelled you, to separate yourself from the great natural path of marriage and the family? You are n

ard the flame his big shoes, such as country priests generally w

s a good man for you!" And indeed he was a good man, benevolent, friendly to all, gentle, and, to crown all, generous. Like Saint Martin, he would have cut his

bring up her grandchildren, after the successive deaths of her son and her daughter-in

h the comtesse, and they were close friends, wi

pers

! it is your turn now

saw it fortunately in time, and I have had many

at school through the mere fact of separation, of isolation. This monotonous life without affection is good for some, and detestable for others. Young people are often more sensitive than o

t to bring before my mind recollections of home, trifling memories of little things, little events. I thought incessantly of all I

and one should see to it that they live a tranquil life until they are almost fully developed. But who ever reflects that, for certain boys, an unjust imposition may be as great a pang as

gret developed in me to such an exten

ed an open wound. Everything that affected me gave me painful twitchings, frightful shocks, and consequently

were threatened by an unknown and always expected misfortune. I did not venture either to speak or do anything in public. I had, indeed, the feeling that life, is a battle, a dreadful conflict in which one receives terrible blows, grievous

eer. A very simple occurrence showed me clearly, all of a sudden, the diseased cond

ed in me, and I walked alone in the fields in order to let them escape and fly away. My father and mother, quite occupied with business, and anxious about my future, talked to me only about their profits or about my poss

th great strides so as not to be late, I saw a dog trotting toward m

s if appealing to me, and softly shaking his head. I spoke to him. He then began to crawl along in such a sad, humble, suppliant manner that I felt the tears coming into my eyes. I approached him; he

lacing his paws on my shoulders, began to

s. It seemed to me in a confused sort of way that we were two brothers, lost on this earth, and therefore isolated and without defense, one as well as the other.

e grass. Sam immediately rushed up, lay down at my feet, an

along. Its four horses were going at a gallop, with its yellow body, and its imperial with the black leather hood. The coachman

eneath the horses' feet, then the coach gave two jolts, and behind it I saw something quivering in the dust on the road. He was nearly cut in two; all his intestines were hanging out and blood was spurting from

escribe how much I felt and suffered.

t seeing me so affected by such

have real griefs-if you lo

thing, that every painful impression was multiplied by my diseased sensibility, and an atrocious fear of life took possession of me. I was without passions, without ambitions; I resolved to sacrifice possible joys in order to avoid sure sorrows.

ures me, ravages me! But what would formerly have been a

children die without dying myself. And I have, in spite of everything, preserved such a mysterious, overwhelming fear of events that

te, as if he saw there mysterious things, all the unknown of the existenc

hen, in a s

was not made f

first; but at length, after

randchildren, I believe I would

e up without say

the door, which looked out on the garden, and she saw his tall shadow, li

the fire, and pondered over many thin

GIV

es know nothing of political events, although they are discussed at table; for changes in the Government take place at such a dista

ter year. And if some scandalous episode or other occurs in the neighborhood, the disreputable story dies a natural death when it reaches the threshold of the house. The father and m

t terrible affair in

mother

eamed of such a th

t knowing that people do not think as they speak, and do not speak as they act; or aware that they should live at war, or at all events, in a state o

is blind probity and loyalty and honor, so p

yed, and become desperate, believing themselves the playthings of a cruel fat

dealings on the Stock Exchange. He was handsome, well-mannered, and apparently all that could be desired. But in the depths of

ly, and the girl was rich.

n complete ignorance of the great city, of its social side, its pleasures and its

d into another part of Paris it seemed to her that she had accomplished a long and arduous j

hrough the bou

e. These were events the remembrance of which never grew dim

ward she would suddenly burs

or dressed up as a genera

s related to her own. She spoke of them

il dawn-alleging business, but not putting himself out overmuch to account for his

she received an

d information and to despise the letter, the writer of which declared himse

two years past, a sweetheart, a young widow named

y on her husband. When he came in for lunch she threw the le

t his wife's door. She opened it at once, but dared not look at him. He smi

s of other people whose names I have never mentioned to you, seeing that you do not care for society, or fresh acquaintances, or functions of any sort. But, to make short work of such

once it is aroused, consented to go and see this unknown widow, of whom she was, in spite of everything, j

waiting five minutes in a drawing-room rendered somewhat dark by its many curtains and hangings

introdu

adame Juli

o have this pleasure, knowing that Madame Baron never saw any one, but she was delighted to make her acquaintance. She was so fond of George (

wice a day, and dined together every evening, sometimes at one house, sometimes at the other. George n

d became vacant Madame Baron hastened to take it, in order to be

of heart and mind-absolute, tender, devoted. Bertha could hardly speak wi

y happy, calm

r side. She spent her nights with her, distracted

bedside, took George and his wife aside, and told

to tears. That night they both sat up with the patient. Bertha tenderly kissed her friend from time t

day she w

etter, and insisted that her friends shoul

eat, when the maid gave George a note. He opened it, turned pale as de

oment. I shall be back in ten minu

to his room t

iety. But, docile in everything, she would

o visit his room and see if he had taken his gloves. Th

Beside them lay a crumpled paper

t once as the note

her husband's abrupt departure. Her rebellious conscience protester' but a devouring and fearful curiosity pre

iss me, my poor d

w a lurid light upon her whole existence, revealed the whole infamous truth, all the treachery and perfidy of which she had been the victim. She understood the long years of deceit, the wa

bleeding heart was cast into the dep

she fled, and shut he

er husband

! Madame Ross

er door, and with tr

alone; she doe

upidly, dazed with

! She's dying

a ans

d rather

d, and returned alone to

longer spoke to him, no longer looked at him; who passed her life in solitude,

however, and sat opposite each oth

rew less acute; but sh

ent on, hard and bi

e strangers to each other as if they had

k bearing in her hands an enormous bouquet of white roses. And she sent word

e said. "Please carry these flo

emetery, where they alighted. Then, her e

e to he

the way, still carrying the flowers. At last he stopped bef

ling down, placed it on the grave. Then

usband, overcome by re

held out her

, we will be fr

HE S

ven to penetrate to our hearts, we experience a vague, undefined longing for freedom, for happiness, a desire to run, to wander aimlessly, to breathe in the spr

I went out, my spirits as bright as the day, to go-I did not exactly know where. Everybody I met seemed to be smiling; an air of happiness appeared to pervade everything in the warm light of returning spring. One might almost have said that a breeze

ed by an unconquerable desire to take a walk through the woods. The deck of the Mouche was covered with passengers, for the sun in e

which looked like a shimmer of light as it danced in the wind, came down to her ears, and descended to the nape of her neck, whe

down, while a slight crease at the side of her mouth, that was ready to break out i

re was warm and perfectly still, but a

ings, which I had hitherto been ignorant of, for I perceived unknown depths, all the charm of tenderness, all the poetry which we dream of, all the happiness which we

ulder, and as I turned round in some surprise, I saw an ordinary-lo

e to speak to

which he no doubt

atter of i

lowed him to the other end o

er, your doctor says to you constantly: 'Keep your feet warm, gu

you from passing two months in bed. But when spring returns, with its leaves and flowers, its warm, soft breeze

es are laid, all its weapons are sharpened, all its guiles are prepared! Beware of love! Beware of love! It is mor

public notices on the walls, with these words: 'Return of spring.

to you: 'Beware of love!' for it is just going to seize you, and it is my duty to

is individual, and assuming

me to be interfering in a matte

rupt movement

owned at a dangerous spot, ought I to let him perish? So just listen

r chiefs, the commissioners, take their gold lace as quill-driving officials seriously, and treat us like forecastle men on board a

l, he looked at me and said: 'I do not believe it, monsieur, but be off with you! Do you think that any office can go on with clerks like you?' I started at once and went down the Seine

laying its snare. Presently, at the Trocadero, a girl, with a small parcel in her hand, came on board and sat down opposite me. She was decidedly pretty, but it is surprising, monsieur, how much

by dint of looking at each other constantly, it seemed to me that we knew each other well enough to enter into co

e boat had just started. I walked by her side, and the warmth of the 'air made us both sigh. 'It would be ve

iage, which was still rather scanty, the tall, thick, bright green grass was inundated by the sun, and the air was full of insects that were also making love to one another, and birds were singi

How poetical it seemed to me, then! I almost cried over it. Ah! Those silly songs make us lose our heads;

her feet and took her hands, her little hands, that were so marked

red scandal, the mind soiled by all the filth that is talked; they mean lost chastity, foolish chatter, all the wretchedness of their everyday life, all th

into each other's souls! Oh! monsieur, what humbug! If we could see into each other's souls, we should be more careful of what we did. However, I was captivated and was crazy about her and tried to take her into my arms, but she said: 'Paws off!'. Then I knelt do

are always novices, a

t I wanted was not a woman's person, it was love, it was the ideal. I was

we got to Paris; but she had looked so sad as we were returning, that at last I asked her what was the matter. 'I am thinking,' she repl

nd every Sunday. I took her to Bougival, Saint-Germain, Ma

e me, until, at last, I altogether lost my

g alone, without any relations, or any one to advise him? On

ets of it!); quarrels with the charcoal dealer, tells the janitor all her domestic details, confides all the secrets of her bedroom to the neighbor's servant, discusses her husband with the tradespeople and has her head so s

at him, for I felt pity for this poor, artless devil, and I was just going to

on the landing-stage. I sprang forward to follow her, but my neighbor laid hold of my arm. I shook myself loose, however, whereupon he seized the skirt of my coat and pulled me back, exclaiming: "You shall not

as I went off with an air of disappointment, while

e that I have done y

NIGHT

ven, was somewhat corpulent as was suitable, and wore a gold pince-nez instead of spectacles. He was active, gallant and cheerful and

voice; but he managed it with so much taste that cries of "Bravo!" "Exquisite!" "Surp

ey sent him the latest music, and from time to time he sen

evening at the house of M. Saval, notary,

sang. The notary filled the part of leader of the orchestra with so much correctness that th

s a great pity that he did not

ere was always somebody found to declare: "He is

ns repeated, in a tone

t," laying particular str

rpreted at a big Parisian theatre M

aris at 4:30 P.M., intending to return by the 12:35 A.M. train, so as not to have to sleep at a hotel. He had pu

d'Amsterdam, he felt himself in qu

e longing to dance about and to do many other things. As soon as I arrive here, it seems to me, all of a sudden, that I have taken a bottle of champagne. What a life

hese celebrated men, to talk about them in Vernon, and t

the outer boulevards at which well-known painters, men of letters, and even

equented by belated bohemians, gazing at the different faces, seeking to discover the arti

affairs, the quarrels of Lucie and Hortense, and the scoundrelism of Octave. They were no longer young, were t

from them and waited, for the hou

e landlady called him M. "Romantin." The notary quivered. Wa

made a sign

tudio, 15 Boulevard de Clichy, thirty bottles of beer, and the h

his white tie could be seen. His neighbor did not seem to notice him. He had taken up a newspape

with peaked beards, in the fashion of He

of the p

or this

pressed

Duez, Clairin, and Jean-Paul Laurens. It will be a stunning affair! And women, too! Wait till you see! E

the establishm

n have this

inter

every three mont

n himself any longer, and

name mentioned, and I would be very glad to know if you really are

nter an

ery person,

very well-turned compliment, sho

fied, thanked him

ect of his house-warming, going into details as to

as to all the men he was

for a stranger to meet at one time so many celebriti

vanquished

be agreeable

e invitation with en

ime enough to s

ls, wishing to repay his neighbor's civilities. He also paid for the drinks of

ry having the appearance of an interminable conservatory. Six

ascending the stairs, he opened a door

sted of three chairs, two easels, and a few sketches standing on the ground

nter re

to the spot; but everyt

apartment, its ceiling disapp

great deal out

eying it with the utmost

sent her to the country for to-day in order to get her off my hands this evening. It is not that she b

r a few seconds

l with. If she knew that I was holding a

even moved; he di

t came ov

you, you will assist

y said em

e you please. I am

took off

work!' We are first

hich there was a canvas representing a

up while I look a

and then began to sweep the floor very

"Deuce take it! you don't know h

ings, as if he had done nothing else all his life. Then

loud of dust filled the s

? I can't see

ghing, came near to h

set about makin

, surpris

chande

light the room-a chand

did not u

ed: "I do

to jump about, cra

neur, I have f

ent on mo

t five franc

val r

y,

nd buy for me five francs' worth of wax

d, one of them with the wax-candles and the other with the hoop of a cask. Then Romantin plunged his hand

after having explained that he had made interest with the old w

ith the ladder, he

you a

hout understan

y,

ceiling. Then, you put a wax-candle in each bottle, and light it. I tell you I have a

man appeared, her eyes flashing, an

at her with a

arms over her breast, and then in a sh

undrel, is this th

e no reply.

f to the country. You'll soon see the way I'll settle you

rew w

r faces with the bottle

said in a

hild

y any attention to

my fine fellow

o her, and tried to

hild

They flowed out of her mouth like, a stream sweeping a heap of filth along with it. The words pouring forth seemed st

gan to weep. The tears flowed from her eyes, but this did not stop her complaints. But her words were uttered in a screaming falsetto voice with tears in it and int

his arms and kissed her

ty to my friends, it is to thank these gentlemen for the medal I got at the Salon. I cannot rec

, in the mids

t you tell

rep

ng to see you home. You will be very sensible, very nice; you will remai

murm

will not beg

swear t

val, who had at last ho

e minutes. If anyone arrives in my absen

o kept drying her eyes with her

tting everything around him in order. The

ty mouths and a regular march like that of a Prussian regiment. The whole house was shaken by the steady tramp of feet. The door flew open, and a motley throng appeared-men and

let us al

ds and sol

ing dress under the chandelier. The procession of

es! A J

with a circle of vociferations. Then they took ea

pted to

-messieurs

him. They whirled about,

ancing ceased.

tlem

r-haired and bearded to

ur name, m

, quite sc

M. S

e excl

ean Ba

man

y making him get angry. He's paid to wai

own provisions. One held a bottle of wine, and the ot

placed in his hands an enorm

e corner over there. Put the bottles at t

racted, exclaimed: "But,

then a wild outburst of laughte

e you to

the opera, his departure from Vernon, his arrival in

m; they greeted him with words of a

declined; they forced him to relate it. They seated and tied him on one of three chairs between two women who kept constantl

eemed to him, however, that they undressed h

, and he lay stretched with his feet

her hand was glaring angril

Clear out! What right has an

feeling very ill

re a

nk. Take your rotten carcass out of here as

was in no condition to do so. His cl

remembered. What was

ur Romantin

rkeeper

ss out of this, so that he at a

, in a state

othes; they have bee

lothes. He did not leave Paris till evening. And when people talk about music to him in his beautifu