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to view the remains of the defunct； but I would not allow a
single person to enter； I wanted to be alone； and I watched by
the corpse the whole night。
〃By the flickering light of the candles； I looked at the body of
this miserable woman； wholly unknown； who had died so lamentably
and so far away from home。 Had she left no friends； no relatives
behind her？ What had her infancy been？ What had been her life？
Whence had she come thither； all alone； a wanderer； like a dog
driven from home？ What secrets of suffering and of despair were
sealed up in that disagreeable body； in that spent and withered
body； that impenetrable hiding place of a mystery which had
driven her far away from affection and from love？
〃How many unhappy beings there are！ I felt that upon that human
creature weighed the eternal injustice of implacable nature！ Life
was over with her； without her ever having experienced； perhaps；
that which sustains the most miserable of us allto wit； the
hope of being once loved！ Otherwise； why should she thus have
concealed herself； have fled from the face of others？ Why did she
love everything so tenderly and so passionately； everything
living that was not a man？
〃I recognized； also； that she believed in a God； and that she
hoped for compensation from him for the miseries she had endured。
She had now begun to decompose； and to become； in turn； a plant。
She who had blossomed in the sun was now to be eaten up by the
cattle； carried away in herbs； and in the flesh of beasts； again
to become human flesh。 But that which is called the soul had been
extinguished at the bottom of the dark well。 She suffered no
longer。 She had changed her life for that of others yet to be
born。
〃Hours passed away in this silent and sinister communion with the
dead。 A pale light at length announced the dawn of a new day； and
a bright ray glistened on the bed； shedding a dash of fire on the
bedclothes and on her hands。 This was the hour she had so much
loved； when the waking birds began to sing in the trees。
〃I opened the window to its fullest extent； I drew back the
curtains； so that the whole heavens might look in upon us。 Then
bending toward the glassy corpse； I took in my hands the
mutilated head； and slowly； without terror or disgust； imprinted
a long； long kiss upon those lips which had never before received
the salute of love。〃
* * * * * * *
Leon Chenal remained silent。 The women wept。 We heard on the box
seat Count d'Etraille blow his nose； from time to time。 The
coachman alone had gone to sleep。 The horses； which felt no
longer the sting of the whip； had slackened their pace and
dragged softly along。 And the four…in…hand； hardly moving at all；
became suddenly torpid； as if laden with sorrow。
THE HOLE
CUTS AND WOUNDS WHICH CAUSED DEATH。 That was the heading of the
charge which brought Leopold Renard； upholsterer； before the
Assize Court。
Round him were the principal witnesses； Madame Flameche； widow of
the victim； Louis Ladureau； cabinetmaker； and Jean Durdent；
plumber。
Near the criminal was his wife； dressed in black； a little ugly
woman； who looked like a monkey dressed as a lady。
This is how Renard described the drama：
〃Good heavens； it is a misfortune of which I am the first and
last victim； and with which my will has nothing to do。 The facts
are their own commentary； Monsieur le President。 I am an honest
man； a hard…working man； an upholsterer in the same street for
the last sixteen years； known； liked； respected； and esteemed by
all； as my neighbors have testified； even the porter； who is not
folatre every day。 I am fond of work； I am fond of saving； I like
honest men； and respectable pleasures。 That is what has ruined
me； so much the worse for me； but as my will had nothing to do
with it； I continue to respect myself。
〃Every Sunday for the last five years； my wife and I have spent
the day at Passy。 We get fresh air； not to say that we are fond
of fishingas fond of it as we are of small onions。 Melie
inspired me with that passion； the jade； she is more enthusiastic
than I am； the scold； and all the mischief in this business is
her fault； as you will see immediately。
〃I am strong and mild…tempered； without a pennyworth of malice in
me。 But she！ oh！ la！ la！ she looks insignificant； she is short
and thin； but she does more mischief than a weasel。 I do not deny
that she has some good qualities； she has some； and those very
important to a man in business。 But her character！ Just ask about
it in the neighborhood； even the porter's wife； who has just sent
me about my businessshe will tell you something about it。
〃Every day she used to find fault with my mild temper： 'I would
not put up with this！ I would not put up with that。' If I had
listened to her； Monsieur le President； I should have had at
least three bouts of fisticuffs a month。〃
Madame Renard interrupted him： 〃And for good reasons too； they
laugh best who laugh last。〃
He turned toward her frankly： 〃Oh！ very well； I can blame you；
since you were the cause of it。〃
Then； facing the President again he said：
〃I will continue。 We used to go to Passy every Saturday evening；
so as to be able to begin fishing at daybreak the next morning。
It is a habit which has become second nature with us； as the
saying is。 Three years ago this summer I discovered a place； oh！
such a spot！ There； in the shade； were eight feet of water at
least and perhaps ten； a hole with a retour under the bank； a
regular retreat for fish and a paradise for any fisherman。 I
might look upon that hole as my property； Monsieur le President；
as I was its Christopher Columbus。 Everybody in the neighborhood
knew it； without making any opposition。 They used to say： 'That
is Renard's place'； and nobody would have gone to it； not even
Monsieur Plumsay； who is renowned； be it said without any
offense； for appropriating other people's places。
〃Well； I went as usual to that place； of which I felt as certain
as if I had owned it。 I had scarcely got there on Saturday； when
I got into 'Delila；' with my wife。 'Delila' is my Norwegian boat；
which I had built by Fourmaise； and which is light and safe。
Well； as I said； we got into the boat and we were going to bait；
and for baiting there is nobody to be compared with me； and they
all know it。 You want to know with what I bait？ I cannot answer
that question； it has nothing to do with the accident； I cannot
answer； that is my secret。 There are more than three hundred
people who have asked me； I have been offered glasses of brandy
and liquors； fried fish； matelots；＇1＇ to make me tell！ But just
go and try whether the chub will come。 Ah！ they have patted my
stomach to get at my secret； my recipe。 Only my wife knows； and
she will not tell it； any more than I shall！ Is not that so；
Melie？〃
＇1＇ A preparation of several kinds of fish； with a sharp sauce。
The President of the Court interrupted him：
〃Just get to the facts as soon as you can。〃
The accused continued： 〃I am getting to them； I am getting to
them。 Well； on Saturday。 July 8； we left by the five twenty…five
train； and before dinner we went to ground…bait as usual。 The
weath