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On entering； I could not discover my wardrobes； my chairs； my
tables； I saw nothing； nothing of that which had furnished my
house； no； nothing； although on the previous evening； I could not
take a step without encountering something that belonged to me。
The chief commissary； much astonished； regarded me at first with
suspicion。
〃My God； Monsieur；〃 said I to him； 〃the disappearance of these
articles of furniture coincides strangely with that of the
merchant。〃
He laughed。
〃That is true。 You did wrong in buying and paying for the
articles which were your own property； yesterday。 It was that
which gave him the cue。〃
〃What seems to me incomprehensible；〃 I replied； 〃is that all the
places that were occupied by my furniture are now filled by other
furniture。〃
〃Oh！〃 responded the commissary； 〃he has had all night； and has no
doubt been assisted by accomplices。 This house must communicate
with its neighbors。 But have no fear； Monsieur； I will have the
affair promptly and thoroughly investigated。 The brigand shall
not escape us for long； seeing that we are in charge of the den。〃
* * * * * * *
Ah！ My heart； my heart； my poor heart； how it beats！
I remained a fortnight at Rouen。 The man did not return。 Heavens！
good heavens！ That man； what was it that could have frightened
and surprised him！
But； on the sixteenth day； early in the morning； I received from
my gardener； now the keeper of my empty and pillaged house； the
following strange letter：
〃MONSIEUR：
〃I have the honor to inform Monsieur that something happened； the
evening before last； which nobody can understand； and the police
no more than the rest of us。 The whole of the furniture has been
returned； not one piece is missingeverything is in its place；
up to the very smallest article。 The house is now the same in
every respect as it was before the robbery took place。 It is
enough to make one lose one's head。 The thing took place during
the night FridaySaturday。 The roads are dug up as though the
whole fence had been dragged from its place up to the door。 The
same thing was observed the day after the disappearance of the
furniture。
〃We are anxiously expecting Monsieur； whose very humble and
obedient servant； I am；
PHILLIPE RAUDIN。〃
〃Ah！ no； no； ah！ never； never； ah！ no。 I shall never return
there！〃
I took the letter to the commissary of police。
〃It is a very clever restitution；〃 said he。 〃Let us bury the
hatchet。 We shall nip the man one of these days。〃
* * * * * * *
But he has never been nipped。 No。 They have not nipped him； and I
am afraid of him now； as of some ferocious animal that has been
let loose behind me。
Inexplicable！ It is inexplicable； this chimera of a moon…struck
skull！ We shall never solve or comprehend it。 I shall not return
to my former residence。 What does it matter to me？ I am afraid of
encountering that man again； and I shall not run the risk。
And even if he returns； if he takes possession of his shop； who
is to prove that my furniture was on his premises？ There is only
my testimony against him； and I feel that that is not above
suspicion。
Ah！ no！ This kind of existence has become unendurable。 I have not
been able to guard the secret of what I have seen。 I could not
continue to live like the rest of the world； with the fear upon
me that those scenes might be re…enacted。
So I have come to consult the doctor who directs this lunatic
asylum； and I have told him everything。
After questioning me for a long time； he said to me：
〃Will you consent； Monsieur； to remain here for some time？〃
〃Most willingly； Monsieur。〃
〃You have some means？〃
〃Yes； Monsieur。〃
〃Will you have isolated apartments？〃
〃Yes； Monsieur。〃
〃Would you care to receive any friends？〃
〃No； Monsieur； no； nobody。 The man from Rouen might take it into
his head to pursue me here； to be revenged on me。〃
* * * * * * *
I have been alone； alone； all； all alone； for three months。 I am
growing tranquil by degrees。 I have no longer any fears。 If the
antiquary should become mad 。 。 。 and if he should be brought
into this asylum！ Even prisons themselves are not places of
security。
THE DEVIL
The peasant was standing opposite the doctor； by the bedside of
the dying old woman； and she； calmly resigned and quite lucid；
looked at them and listened to their talking。 She was going to
die； and she did not rebel at it； for her life was overshe was
ninety…two。
The July sun streamed in at the window and through the open door
and cast its hot flames on to the uneven brown clay floor； which
had been stamped down by four generations of clodhoppers。 The
smell of the fields came in also； driven by the brisk wind； and
parched by the noontide heat。 The grasshoppers chirped themselves
hoarse； filling the air with their shrill noise； like that of the
wooden crickets which are sold to children at fair time。
The doctor raised his voice and said： 〃Honore； you cannot leave
your mother in this state； she may die at any moment。〃 And the
peasant； in great distress； replied： 〃But I must get in my wheat；
for it has been lying on the ground a long time； and the weather
is just right for it； what do you say about it； mother？〃 And the
dying woman； still possessed by her Norman avariciousness；
replied YES with her eyes and her forehead； and so urged her son
to get in his wheat； and to leave her to die alone。 But the
doctor got angry； and stamping his foot he said： 〃You are no
better than a brute； do you hear； and I will not allow you to do
it。 Do you understand？ And if you must get in your wheat to…day；
go and fetch Rapet's wife and make her look after your mother。 I
WILL have it。 And if you do not obey me； I will let you die like
a dog； when you are ill in your turn； do you hear me？〃
The peasant； a tall； thin fellow with slow movements； who was
tormented by indecision； by his fear of the doctor and his keen
love of saving； hesitated； calculated； and stammered out： 〃How
much does La Rapet charge for attending sick people？〃
〃How should I know？〃 the doctor cried。 〃That depends upon how
long she is wanted for。 Settle it with her； by Jove！ But I want
her to be here within an hour； do you hear。〃
So the man made up his mind。 〃I will go for her；〃 he replied；
〃don't get angry； doctor。〃 And the latter left； calling out as he
went： 〃Take care； you know； for I do not joke when I am angry！〃
And as soon as they were alone； the peasant turned to his mother；
and said in a resigned voice： 〃I will go and fetch La Rapet； as
the man will have it。 Don't go off while I am away。〃
And he went out in his turn。
La Rapet； who was an old washerwoman； watched the dead and the
dying of the neighborhood； and then； as soon as she had sewn her
customers into that linen cloth from which they would emerge no
more； she went and took up her irons to smooth the linen of the
living。 Wrinkled like a last year's apple； spiteful； envious；
avaricious with a phenomenal avarice； bent double； as if she had
been broken in half across the loins； by the constant movement of
the iron over the linen； one might have said that she had a kind
of monst