uiry, Jacques' friend went and drew the
curtains of the bed, and then, returning to the sculptor, held out his
hand.

"Francine is dead," said he. "We were bound to expect it, though heaven
knows that we have done what we could to save her. She was a good girl,
Jacques, who loved you very dearly--dearer and better than you loved her
yourself, for hers was love alone, while yours held an alloy. Francine
is dead, but all is not over yet. We must now think about the steps
necessary for her burial. We must set about that together, and we will
ask one of the neighbors to keep watch here while we are away."

Jacques allowed himself to be led away by his friend. They passed the
day between the registrar of deaths, the undertaker, and the cemetery.
As Jacques had no money, the doctor pawned his watch, a ring, and some
clothes, to cover the cost of the funeral, that was fixed for the next
day.

They both got in late at night. The neighbor who had been watching tried
to make Jacques eat a little.

"Yes," said he. "I will. I am very cold and I shall need a little
strength for my work tonight."

The neighbor and the doctor did not understand him.

Jacques sat down at the table and ate a few mouthfuls so hurriedly that
he was almost choked. Then he asked for drink. But on lifting his glass
to his lips he let it fall. The glass, which broke on the floor, had
awakened in the artist's mind a recollection which itself revived his
momentary dulled pain. The day on which Francine had called on him for
the first time she had felt ill, and he had given her to drink out of
this glass. Later, when they were living together, they had regarded it
as a love token.

During his rare moments of wealth the artist would buy for his love one
or two bottles of the strengthening wine prescribed for her, and it was
from this glass that Francine used to sip the liquid whence her love
drew a charming gaiety.

Jacques remained for more than half an hour staring without uttering a
word at the scattered fragments of this frail and cherished token. It
seemed to him that his heart was also broken, and that he could feel
the fragments tearing his breast. When he had recovered himself, he
picked up the pieces of glass and placed them in a drawer. Then he asked
the neighbor to fetch him two candles, and to send up a bucket of water
by the porter.

"Do not go away," said he to the doctor, who had no intention of doing
so. "I shall want you presently."