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down very quietly in HER corner； close to HER pigeon…hole； upon HER
chair； with her feet upon HER footstool。
The dinner was a complete failure。 Mademoiselle Prefere； who seemed
lost in a brown study； never noticed the fact。 As a rule I am very sensitive
about such misfortunes； but this one caused Jeanne so much delight that at
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last I could not help enjoying it myself。 Even at my age I had not been
able to learn before that a chicken； raw on one side and burned on the
other； was a funny thing； but Jeanne's bursts of laughter taught me that it
was。 That chicken caused us to say a thousand very witty things； which I
have forgotten； and I was enchanted that it had not been properly cooked。
Jeanne put it back to roast again； then she broiled it； then she stewed it
with butter。 And every time it came back to the table it was much less
appetising and much more mirth…provoking than before。 When we did eat
it； at last； it had become a thing for which there is no name in any cuisine。
The almond cake was much more extraordinary。 It was brought to the
table in the pan； because it never could have got out of it。 I invited Jeanne
to help us all to a piece thinking that I was going to embarrass her； but she
broke the pan and gave each of us a fragment。 To think that anybody at my
age could eat such things was an idea possible only to the very artless
mind。 Mademoiselle Prefere； suddenly awakened from her dream；
indignantly pushed away the sugary splinter of earthenware； and deemed it
opportune to inform me that she herself was exceedingly skilful in making
confectionery。
〃Ah！〃 exclaimed Jeanne； with an air of surprise not altogether without
malice。 Then she wrapped all the fragments of the pan in a piece of paper；
for the purpose of giving them to her little playmates especially to the
three little Mouton girls； who are naturally inclined to gluttony。
Secretly； however； I was beginning to feel very uneasy。 It did not now
seem in any way possible to keep much longer upon good terms with
Mademoiselle Prefere since her matrimonial fury had this burst forth。 And
that lady affronted； good…bye to Jeanne！ I took advantage of a moment
while the sweet soul was busy putting on her cloak； in order to ask Jeanne
to tell me exactly what her own age was。 She was eighteen years and one
month old。 I counted on my fingers； and found she would not come of age
for another two years and eleven months。 And how should we be able to
manage during all that time？
At the door Mademoiselle Prefere squeezed my hand with so much
meaning that I fairly shook from head to foot。
〃Good…bye；〃 I said very gravely to the young girl。 〃But listen to me a
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moment： your friend is very old； and might perhaps fail you when you
need him most。 Promise me never to fail in your duty to yourself； and then
I shall have no fear。 God keep you； my child！〃
After closing the door behind them； I opened the window to get a last
look at her as she was going away。 But the night was dark； and I could see
only two vague shadows flitting across the quay。 I heard the vast deep hom
of the city rising up about me； and I suddenly felt a great sinking at my
heart。
Poor child！
December 15。
The King of Thule kept a goblet of gold which his dying mistress had
bequeathed him as a souvenir。 When about to die himself； after having
drunk from it for the last time； he threw the goblet into the sea。 And I keep
this diary of memories even as that old prince of the mist…haunted seas
kept his carven goblet； and even as he flung away at last his love…pledge；
so will I burn this book of souvenirs。 Assuredly it is not through any
arrogant avarice nor through any egotistical pride； that I shall destroy this
record of a humble lifeit is only because I fear lest those things which are
dear and sacred to me might appear before others； because of my inartistic
manner of expression； either commonplace or absurd。
I do not say this in view of what is going to follow。 Absurd I certainly
must have been when； having been invited to dinner by Mademoiselle
Prefere； I took my seat in a bergere （it was really a bergere） at the right
hand of that alarming person。 The table had been set in a little parlour； and
I could observe from the poor way in which it was set out that the
schoolmistress was one of those ethereal souls who soar above terrestrial
things。 Chipped plates； unmatched glasses； knives with loose handles；
forks with yellow prongsthere was absolutely nothing wanting to spoil
the appetite of an honest man。
I was assured that the dinner had been cooked for mefor me alone
although Maitre Mouche had also been invited。 Mademoiselle Prefere
must have imagined that I had Sarmatian tastes on the subject of butter；
for that which she offered me； served up in little thin pats； was excessively
rancid。
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The roast very nearly poisoned me。 But I had the pleasure of hearing
Maitre Mouche and Mademoiselle Prefere discourse upon virtue。 I said the
pleasureI ought to have said the shame； for the sentiments to which they
gave expression soared far beyond the range of my vulgar nature。
What they said proved to me as clear as day that devotedness was their
daily bread； and that self…sacrifice was not less necessary to their existence
than air and water。 Observing that I was not eating； Mademoiselle Prefere
made a thousand efforts to overcome that which she was good enough to
term my 〃discretion。〃 Jeanne was not of the party； because； I was told； her
presence at it would have been contrary to the rules； and would have
wounded the feelings of the other school…children； among whom it was
necessary to maintian a certain equality。 I secretly congratulated her upon
having escaped from the Merovingian butter； from the huge radishes；
empty as funeral… urns； form the leathery roast； and from various other
curiosities of diet to which I had exposed myself for the love of her。
The extremely disconsolate…looking s