The Inferno

. Shadows thick as ve

my elbow on the round table, lighted by the lamp. I m

me before. No one had been there, but

y after. Some one was bound to come. Then other human beings would follow in

ysed me, I made an effort. I leaned up against the wall once more and looked prayerfully. The Room was black, all thin

.

ylight. I saw the dawn spread over it. Little by li

ove. On the right was the bed, and on the left, on the same side as the window, a sofa, chairs, armchairs, table, wardro

the spot that attracted me, the hole in th

itchen lingered even here. I paused in

as painted brown, with numbers carved on brass plates. All were closed. I took a few

ron now, hardly recognisable with her hair in disorder) came skipping down from the floor above with newspapers under her arm. Madame Lemercier's little girl, with a careful hand on the banister, was coming upstairs, her neck thrust forward like a

eared like scenes of a comed

as if I were alone against them all, while roami

of a woman taken by surprise. A senseless noise oozed from the walls, worse than

parlour, attracted by t

out what. They went out, and I was alone. I heard th

carried her head held slightly forward and had a beautiful long face set off by an expression of great sweetness. But I could not see her well, because she d

outh seemed almost dark. Her beauty saddened me. I looked at this unknown woman with sublime regret. She caressed me by her presence. A woman always care

Nothing had happened, and now it was over.

hanged. Human life, its living truth, I knew it as we all know it. I had been familiar with it a