Strong as Death

rious crisis. She breathed easier, smiled at the houses, recognized with joy the look of the city, whose details all true Parisians seem to carry in their eyes and hearts. Each shop she

that of her bedroom. There she remained standing a few moments, glad to be at home, in security, in the dim and misty daylight of Paris, which, hardly brightening, compels one to guess as well a

d her affectionately, and said, smiling: "Ah, ha! I knew very well that our frie

culiar tone she affected when she sa

of trouble. Mamma could

nothing, but felt

f that minute rehearsal in the green-room of Parisian life. She adored the rustle of the dresses worn by the salesgirls, who hastened forward to meet her, all smiles, with their offers, their queries; and Madame the dressmaker, the milliner, or corset-maker, was to her a person of consequence, whom she treated as an artist when she expressed an opinion in asking advice. She

assured her. The three hats which she chose were wonderfully becoming; she could not doubt it, and when the milliner said, with an air of conviction,

time, surprised that this simple change of place had caused to recede into a past that already seemed far away the great misfortune that had overwhelmed her. She could not even convince he

dinner-time, excla

azzling th

nt a warm wave of happi

billiards, offered to play a game with Bertin, and the two ladies

ices full of tears. For some minutes it seemed, from the doleful tones, that everyone was about to weep; but little by little, after a few tender words and inquiries, another current o

ed her under the portrait of her mother, in t

his stup

hat when I came in! Oh, my little Any, I find you again, I, who knew you so well then in your first mourning as a woman-no, in your second, for you had already lost your father. Oh, that Annette, in black l

lleroy's return, as he wished to be one of the first

rl standing against the frame, illumined by the same ray o

the most astonishing things I

lowed established opinions, marveled in the

hurt it. Without speaking, she looked at her daughter standing by the image of herself, and a sudden feeli

n a melancholy mood, having lost once more

nter and approach the hostess he rose and glided behind her armchair, murmuring: "This is delightful! The

s looked around to find Olivier, to resume with him the talk

the great

band answered; "I just saw him g

d a few moments, and then b

eir leave early, for, so soon after her afflictio

d assailed her in the country reappeared. They took a more distinct f

advantageous comparisons, where she allows the entrance of her equals only to attempt to make them her vassals, she saw plainly that her daughter was about to become the sovereign. How strange had been that contraction of her heart when all eyes were turned upon Annette as Bertin held her by the hand standing before the portrait! She herself felt as if she had suddenly disappeared, dispossessed, dethroned. Everyone looked at Annette; no one had a gl

reasoned that, once her dear little daughter should be married, when they should no longer live under the same roof, she herself would no

awoke weary and overcome by extreme lassitude, and then within her surged up an irresistible longing to be comforte

was about to be seriously affected, for it was not natural that in a few hours she should pass throug

ose decorations and titles guarantee their ability, whose tact at least equals mere skill

d with a smile: "Come, this is not a very grave c

. After listening to her with an attentive air, though asking no questions except as to her appetite, as if he knew well the secret nature of this feminine ailment, he sounded her, examined her, felt of her shoulders with the t

rescription that will set you right again. But above all, you must eat strengthening food, take beef-tea, no water, but drink beer. I will indicate an excellent bran

rest, trying to guess at what his word

s a little too stout at one time, and

been so; but when one grows thin on principle it is always at the expense

to send for the prescribed beer for her breakfast, a

g the table when Be

ave come to ask you something. Have you a

othing

Ann

ing,

e to the studio ab

for what

ked you whether Annette might pose for me a few moments. It would render

oyed, without knowing the r

d; we shall be with

You are good

and study his subject, so that he

oulevard Malesherbes, for she felt as if her limbs were breaking. As she passed Saint Augustin's, she was seized with a desire to enter th

e existence of a creator. But associating, as does everyone, the attributes of divinity with the nature of the created matter that she beheld with her own ey

erely as the sons of peasants revolting from military service. Her father, a middle-class Parisian, never had imposed upon her any particular principles of devotion, and she had lived on thinking little about reli

ver failed to attend mass at one o'clock on Sundays, gave alms for hersel

ity to her. At such times, without confiding to Heaven the cause for her appeal, treating God with the same na?ve hypocrisy that is shown to a husband, she asked Him to succor her. When her f

r some one nor for some thing, but for herself, for herself alone, as she had already prayed the other day at her mother's

enly, as if a clock had struck in her heart, she awoke from her memories, drew out her watch and started to see that it wa

h Annette: a young girl, dreaming, with an open book upon her knees. He had hesitated as to whether he should make her plain or pretty. If she were ugly she would have more

ld be pretty, and therefore might realize her poetic vision one day or other; wh

ies entered Olivier sa

ne, we are going to wo

ed Olivier as he placed an iron garden-chair in the right ligh

your daug

u like! Give her a vo

nde des S

will

d a poem entitled 'Les Pauvres Gens.' Absorb it, as one drinks the best wines, slowly, word by word, and let it intox

he thin board the leaden tubes whence issued slender, twisting snakes of color,

as he mixed the little piles of paste, so strongly did he feel once more before this apparition, before that

r saw in her eyes two bright drops which, breaking forth, ran down her cheeks. He was startled by

beautifu

de Guilleroy. Her large eyes, full of a sort of terror, gazed at her dau

he matter?

to speak

e; "Wait a moment, my child; I hav

made his visitors wait. He followed her, his head confused, understandin

I beg you not to ma

he murmured

guessed it sooner myself, but I only discovered it this moment. I cannot tell you anything now. Go and find

what is the ma

n the verge

peak here. Get my dau

uspicious, had resumed her reading, her heart overflo

"She became very ill when she went into the

get a flask from h

allowed her feelings full sway, and the Countess was somewhat solaced by blending

eak; he looked at them, his own heart opp

e at last. "Ar

s replied. "It was nothing.

will come

s nothing. I have had too

is here," a se

his friend, pale and almost swooning, to the

I am making love to her daughter? No, that would be too much!" And, combating with ingenious and loyal arguments that supposititious conviction, he felt indignant that she had lent for an instant to this healthy and almost paternal affection any suspicion of gallantry. He became

. All along the way he prepared, with a growing irritation, the argument

lounge, her face c

to me, my dear friend, the stra

t understood it?" she

nfess I h

, search your

he

e bottom of

tand. Explain y

t, and see whether you find nothing the

ess that there is something in your imaginat

of your conscience,

gmas. I entreat you

he hands of the painter and held them; then

or you will fall in l

ats a shameful accusation, with animated gesture and increasing excitement, h

bstinately incredulous, sure of w

ishing to seduce Annette. Oh, no, no! I know how loyal you are, worthy of all esteem and of every confidence. I only beg you, I entreat you to look into the depths of your h

excited, he began once more to plead his loya

n, without anger, but without being shaken in her

that I do not deceive myself. Listen, reflect, understand. My daughter resembles me too much, she

as that on this simple supposition and ridiculous reasoning: 'He

ce changing more and more, h

once more in her that this young girl pleases me so muc

akes me so anxious. You are not yet aware of what you feel, but by

re you that

wish p

es

of my desire to have you come. But you rushed down ther

ving you alone down there, knowing that

is so imperious with you that you could not pass this day without as

uppose it was you

lf-but you do not deceive me. Listen again: Why did you leave abruptly, the

d, disturbed, disarmed by this o

d, and then, to be candid, th

ce w

way

ng his praises. You liked him o

oments; then, choosi

g that belongs to you as to modify my opinion of that bore, whom I might meet occasiona

reflect deeply on what I have just said to you. When you have reflected you will understand that I have pointed out a gr

what to think, though indeed he had need for reflection. He we