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me； made as though he would rush at me。 I believed that he wanted
to kill me； and I fled like a hunted animal； running straight in
front of me through the woods。
〃I ran perhaps for an hour； perhaps for two； I know not。 Darkness
had set in； I tumbled over some thick herbs； exhausted； and I lay
there lost； devoured by terror； eaten up by a sorrow capable of
breaking forever the heart of a child。 I became cold； I became
hungry。 At length day broke。 I dared neither get up； walk； return
home； nor save myself； fearing to encounter my father whom I did
not wish to see again。
〃I should probably have died of misery and of hunger at the foot
of a tree if the guard had not discovered me and led me away by
force。
〃I found my parents wearing their ordinary aspect。 My mother
alone spoke to me：
〃 'How you have frightened me； you naughty boy； I have been the
whole night sleepless。'
〃I did not answer； but began to weep。 My father did not utter a
single word。
〃Eight days later I entered the Lycee。
〃Well； my friend； it was all over with me。 I had witnessed the
other side of things； the bad side； I have not been able to
perceive the good side since that day。 What things have passed in
my mind； what strange phenomena have warped my ideas； I do not
know。 But I no longer have a taste for anything； a wish for
anything； a love for anybody； a desire for anything whatever； no
ambition； no hope。 And I can always see my poor mother lying on
the ground； in the avenue； while my father was maltreating her。
My mother died a few years after； my father lives still。 I have
not seen him since。 Waiter； a 'bock。' 〃
A waiter brought him his 〃bock；〃 which he swallowed at a gulp。
But； in taking up his pipe again； trembling as he was； he broke
it。 Then he made a violent gesture：
〃Zounds！ This is indeed a grief； a real grief。 I have had it for
a month； and it was coloring so beautifully！〃
Then he went off through the vast saloon； which was now full of
smoke and of people drinking； calling out：
〃Waiter； a 'bock'and a new pipe。〃
SEQUEL TO A DIVORCE
Certainly； although he had been engaged in the most
extraordinary； most unlikely； most extravagant； and funniest
cases； and had won legal games without a trump in his
handalthough he had worked out the obscure law of divorce； as
if it had been a Californian gold mine； Maitre＇1＇ Garrulier； the
celebrated； the only Garrulier； could not check a movement of
surprise； nor a disheartening shake of the head； nor a smile；
when the Countess de Baudemont explained her affairs to him for
the first time。
＇1＇ Title given to advocates in France。
He had just opened his correspondence； and his slender hands； on
which he bestowed the greatest attention； buried themselves in a
heap of female letters； and one might have thought oneself in the
confessional of a fashionable preacher； so impregnated was the
atmosphere with delicate perfumes。
Immediatelyeven before she had said a wordwith the sharp
glance of a practised man of the world； that look which made
beautiful Madame de Serpenoise say： 〃He strips your heart bare！〃
the lawyer had classed her in the third category。 Those who
suffer came into his first category； those who love； into the
second； and those who are bored； into the thirdand she belonged
to the latter。
She was a pretty windmill； whose sails turned and flew round； and
fretted the blue sky with a delicious shiver of joy； as it were；
and had the brain of a bird； in which four correct and healthy
ideas cannot exist side by side； and in which all dreams and
every kind of folly are engulfed； like a great kaleidoscope。
Incapable of hurting a fly； emotional； charitable； with a feeling
of tenderness for the street girl who sells bunches of violets
for a penny； for a cab horse which a driver is ill…using； for a
melancholy pauper's funeral； when the body； without friends or
relations to follow it； is being conveyed to the common grave；
doing anything that might afford five minutes' amusement； not
caring if she made men miserable for the rest of their days； and
taking pleasure in kindling passions which consumed men's whole
being； looking upon life as too short to be anything else than
one uninterrupted round of gaiety and enjoyment； she thought that
people might find plenty of time for being serious and reasonable
in the evening of life； when they are at the bottom of the hill；
and their looking…glasses reveal a wrinkled face； surrounded with
white hair。
A thorough…bred Parisian； whom one would follow to the end of the
world； like a poodle； a woman whom one adores with the head； the
heart； and the senses until one is nearly driven mad； as soon as
one has inhaled the delicate perfume that emanates from her dress
and hair； or touched her skin； and heard her laugh； a woman for
whom one would fight a duel and risk one's life without a
thought； for whom a man would remove mountains； and sell his soul
to the devil several times over； if the devil were still in the
habit of frequenting the places of bad repute on this earth。
She had perhaps come to see this Garrulier； whom she had so often
heard mentioned at five o'clock teas； so as to be able to
describe him to her female friends subsequently in droll phrases；
imitating his gestures and the unctuous inflections of his voice；
in order； perhaps； to experience some new sensation； or； perhaps；
for the sake of dressing like a woman who was going to try for a
divorce； and； certainly； the whole effect was perfect。 She wore a
splendid cloak embroidered with jetwhich gave an almost serious
effect to her golden hair； to her small slightly turned…up nose；
with its quivering nostrils； and to her large eyes； full of
enigma and funover a dark stuff dress； which was fastened at
the neck by a sapphire and a diamond pin。
The barrister did not interrupt her； but allowed her to get
excited and to chatter； to enumerate her causes for complaint
against poor Count de Baudemont； who certainly had no suspicion
of his wife's escapade； and who would have been very much
surprised if anyone had told him of it at that moment； when he
was taking his fencing lesson at the club。
When she had quite finished； he said coolly； as if he were
throwing a pail of water on some burning straw：
〃But； Madame； there is not the slightest pretext for a divorce in
anything that you have told me here。 The judges would ask me
whether I took the Law Courts for a theater； and intended to make
fun of them。〃
And seeing how disheartened she was；that she looked like a
child whose favorite toy had been broken； that she was so pretty
that he would have liked to kiss her hands in his devotion； and
as she seemed to be witty； and very amusing； and as； moreover； he
had no objection to such visits being prolonged； when papers had
to be looked over； while sitting close together；Maitre
Garrulier appeared to be considering。 Taking his chin in his
hand； he said：
〃However； I will think it over； there is sure to be some dark
spot that can be made out worse。 Write to me； and come and see me
again。〃
In the course of her visits； that black spot had increased so
much and Madame de Baudemont had fol