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handkerchief from his pocket； hid his face in it for a moment。
〃You must be at a loss to understand；〃 he went on； sighing sadly； 〃for
what purpose an unknown visitor； at such an hour； in such a costume； and
in tears； can have come to see you。 I have simply come to ask of you a
great service。〃
〃Speak on； sir； I am entirely at your disposal。〃
〃You were present at the sale of Marguerite Gautier？〃
At this word the emotion； which he had got the better of for an instant；
was too much for him； and he was obliged to cover his eyes with his hand。
〃I must seem to you very absurd；〃 he added； 〃but pardon me； and
believe that I shall never forget the patience with which you have listened
to me。〃
〃Sir；〃 I answered； 〃if the service which I can render you is able to
lessen your trouble a little； tell me at once what I can do for you； and you
will find me only too happy to oblige you。〃
M。 Duval's sorrow was sympathetic； arid in spite of myself I felt the
desire of doing him a kindness。 Thereupon he said to me：
〃You bought something at Marguerite's sale？〃
〃Yes； a book。〃
〃Manon Lescaut？〃
〃Precisely。〃
〃Have you the book still？〃
〃It is in my bedroom。〃
On hearing this； Armand Duval seemed to be relieved of a great
weight； and thanked me as if I had already rendered him a service merely
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by keeping the book。
I got up and went into my room to fetch the book； which I handed to
him。
〃That is it indeed；〃 he said； looking at the inscription on the first page
and turning over the leaves； 〃that is it in deed；〃 and two big tears fell on
the pages。 〃Well； sir；〃 said he； lifting his head； and no longer trying to hide
from me that he had wept and was even then on the point of weeping； 〃do
you value this book very greatly？〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because I have come to ask you to give it up to me。〃
〃Pardon my curiosity； but was it you； then； who gave it to Marguerite
Gautier？〃
〃It was！〃
〃The book is yours； sir； take it back。 I am happy to be able to hand it
over to you。〃
〃But；〃 said M。 Duval with some embarrassment； 〃the least I can do is
to give you in return the price which you paid for it。〃
〃Allow me to offer it to you。 The price of a single volume in a sale of
that kind is a mere nothing； and I do not remember how much I gave for
it。〃
〃You gave one hundred francs。〃
〃True；〃 I said； embarrassed in my turn； 〃how do you know？〃
〃It is quite simple。 I hoped to reach Paris in time for the sale； and I
only managed to get here this morning。 I was absolutely resolved to have
something which had belonged to her； and I hastened to the auctioneer and
asked him to allow me to see the list of the things sold and of the buyers'
names。 I saw that this volume had been bought by you； and I decided to
ask you to give it up to me； though the price you had set upon it made me
fear that you might yourself have some souvenir in connection with the
possession of the book。〃
As he spoke； it was evident that he was afraid I had known Marguerite
as he had known her。 I hastened to reassure him。
〃I knew Mlle。 Gautier only by sight；〃 I said； 〃her death made on me
the impression that the death of a pretty woman must always make on a
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young man who had liked seeing her。 I wished to buy something at her
sale； and I bid higher and higher for this book out of mere obstinacy and to
annoy some one else； who was equally keen to obtain it； and who seemed
to defy me to the contest。 I repeat； then； that the book is yours； and once
more I beg you to accept it； do not treat me as if I were an auctioneer； and
let it be the pledge between us of a longer and more intimate
acquaintance。〃
〃Good；〃 said Armand； holding out his hand and pressing mine； 〃I
accept； and I shall be grateful to you all my life。〃
I was very anxious to question Armand on the subject of Marguerite；
for the inscription in the book； the young man's hurried journey； his desire
to possess the volume； piqued my curiosity； but I feared if I questioned my
visitor that I might seem to have refused his money only in order to have
the right to pry into his affairs。
It was as if he guessed my desire； for he said to me：
〃Have you read the volume？〃
〃All through。〃
〃What did you think of the two lines that I wrote in it？〃
〃I realized at once that the woman to whom you had given the volume
must have been quite outside the ordinary category； for I could not take
those two lines as a mere empty compliment。〃
〃You were right。 That woman was an angel。 See； read this letter。〃 And
he handed to me a paper which seemed to have been many times reread。
I opened it； and this is what it contained：
〃MY DEAR ARMAND：I have received your letter。 You are still
good； and I thank God for it。 Yes； my friend； I am ill； and with one of
those diseases that never relent； but the interest you still take in me makes
my suffering less。 I shall not live long enough； I expect； to have the
happiness of pressing the hand which has written the kind letter I have just
received； the words of it would be enough to cure me； if anything could
cure me。 I shall not see you； for I am quite near death； and you are
hundreds of leagues away。 My poor friend！ your Marguerite of old times is
sadly changed。 It is better perhaps for you not to see her again than to see
her as she is。 You ask if I forgive you； oh； with all my heart； friend； for the
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way you hurt me was only a way of proving the love you had for me。 I
have been in bed for a month； and I think so much of your esteem that I
write every day the journal of my life； from the moment we left each other
to the moment when I shall be able to write no longer。 If the interest you
take in me is real； Armand； when you come back go and see Julie Duprat。
She will give you my journal。 You will find in it the reason and the excuse
for what has passed between us。 Julie is very good to me； we often talk of
you together。 She was there when your letter came； and we both cried over
it。
〃If you had not sent me any word； I had told her to give you those
papers when