. Um,
good-day."

The clerk with the blonde moustache was about to make further private
gestures of despair, when the shopping-woman with six bundles turned and
went out. His fingers instantly closed nervously over the book. He drew
it from its hiding-place, and opened it at the place where he had
ceased. His hungry eyes seemed to eat the words upon the page. He
continued: "--struck cruelly against a chair. It seemed to awaken her.
She started. She burst from the young man's arms. Outside the two pigs
were grunting amiably.

"Silvere took his candle. He went toward his room. He was in despair.
'Ah, my God!'

"He met the young girl on the stairs. He took her hand. Tears were
raining down his face. 'Heloise!' he murmured.

"The young girl shivered. As Silvere put his arms about her, she
faintly resisted. This embrace seemed to sap her life. She wished to
die. Her thoughts flew back to the old well and the broken hayrakes at
Plassans.

"The young girl looked fresh, fair, innocent 'Heloise!' murmured
Silvere. The children exchanged a long, clinging kiss. It seemed to
unite their souls.

"The young girl was swooning. Her head sank on the young man's shoulder.
There was nothing in space except these warm kisses on her neck. Silvere
enfolded her. 'Ah, my God!'"

"Say, young fellow," said a youth with a tilted cigar to the clerk with
a blonde moustache, "where th'll is Billie Carcart's joint round here?
Know?"

"Next corner," said the clerk fiercely.

"Oh, th'll," said the youth, "yehs needn't git gay. See! When a feller
asts a civil question yehs needn't git gay. See! Th'll!"

The youth stood and looked aggressive for a moment. Then he went away.

The clerk seemed almost to leap upon the book. His feverish fingers
twirled the pages. When he found his place he glued his eyes to it. He
read:

"Then a great flash of lightning illumined the hall-way. It threw livid
hues over a row of flowerpots in the window-seat. Thunder shook the
house to its foundation. From the kitchen arose the voice of old Marie
in prayer.

"Heloise screamed. She wrenched herself from the young man's arms. She
sprang inside her room. She locked the door. She flung herself face
downward on the bed. She burst into tears. She looked fresh, fair,
innocent.

"The rain pattering upon the thatched roof sounded in the stillness like
the footsteps of spirits. In the sky toward Paris there shone a crimson
light.

"The chickens had all fallen fro