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thick； muffled voice：
〃Anything you like to give； monsieur； I will pray to God for
you 。 。 。〃
But the young man turned his eyes on him； and the old beggar stopped
without another word； discerning in that mournful face an abandonment
of wretchedness more bitter than his own。
〃La carita！ la carita！〃
The stranger threw the coins to the old man and the child； left the
footway； and turned towards the houses； the harrowing sight of the
Seine fretted him beyond endurance。
〃May God lengthen your days！〃 cried the two beggars。
As he reached the shop window of a print…seller； this man on the brink
of death met a young woman alighting from a showy carriage。 He looked
in delight at her prettiness； at the pale face appropriately framed by
the satin of her fashionable bonnet。 Her slender form and graceful
movements entranced him。 Her skirt had been slightly raised as she
stepped to the pavement； disclosing a daintily fitting white stocking
over the delicate outlines beneath。 The young lady went into the shop；
purchased albums and sets of lithographs； giving several gold coins
for them； which glittered and rang upon the counter。 The young man；
seemingly occupied with the prints in the window； fixed upon the fair
stranger a gaze as eager as man can give； to receive in exchange an
indifferent glance； such as lights by accident on a passer…by。 For him
it was a leave…taking of love and of woman； but his final and
strenuous questioning glance was neither understood nor felt by the
slight…natured woman there； her color did not rise； her eyes did not
droop。 What was it to her？ one more piece of adulation； yet another
sigh only prompted the delightful thought at night； 〃I looked rather
well to…day。〃
The young man quickly turned to another picture； and only left it when
she returned to her carriage。 The horses started off； the final vision
of luxury and refinement went under an eclipse； just as that life of
his would soon do also。 Slowly and sadly he followed the line of the
shops； listlessly examining the specimens on view。 When the shops came
to an end； he reviewed the Louvre； the Institute； the towers of Notre
Dame； of the Palais； the Pont des Arts； all these public monuments
seemed to have taken their tone from the heavy gray sky。
Fitful gleams of light gave a foreboding look to Paris； like a pretty
woman； the city has mysterious fits of ugliness or beauty。 So the
outer world seemed to be in a plot to steep this man about to die in a
painful trance。 A prey to the maleficent power which acts relaxingly
upon us by the fluid circulating through our nerves； his whole frame
seemed gradually to experience a dissolving process。 He felt the
anguish of these throes passing through him in waves； and the houses
and the crowd seemed to surge to and fro in a mist before his eyes。 He
tried to escape the agitation wrought in his mind by the revulsions of
his physical nature； and went toward the shop of a dealer in
antiquities； thinking to give a treat to his senses； and to spend the
interval till nightfall in bargaining over curiosities。
He sought； one might say； to regain courage and to find a stimulant；
like a criminal who doubts his power to reach the scaffold。 The
consciousness of approaching death gave him； for the time being； the
intrepidity of a duchess with a couple of lovers； so that he entered
the place with an abstracted look； while his lips displayed a set
smile like a drunkard's。 Had not life； or rather had not death；
intoxicated him？ Dizziness soon overcame him again。 Things appeared to
him in strange colors； or as making slight movements； his irregular
pulse was no doubt the cause； the blood that sometimes rushed like a
burning torrent through his veins； and sometimes lay torpid and
stagnant as tepid water。 He merely asked leave to see if the shop
contained any curiosities which he required。
A plump…faced young shopman with red hair； in an otter…skin cap； left
an old peasant woman in charge of the shopa sort of feminine
Caliban； employed in cleaning a stove made marvelous by Bernard
Palissy's work。 This youth remarked carelessly：
〃Look round； monsieur！ We have nothing very remarkable here
downstairs； but if I may trouble you to go up to the first floor； I
will show you some very fine mummies from Cairo； some inlaid pottery；
and some carved ebonygenuine Renaissance work； just come in； and of
perfect beauty。〃
In the stranger's fearful position this cicerone's prattle and
shopman's empty talk seemed like the petty vexations by which narrow
minds destroy a man of genius。 But as he must even go through with it；
he appeared to listen to his guide； answering him by gestures or
monosyllables； but imperceptibly he arrogated the privilege of saying
nothing； and gave himself up without hindrance to his closing
meditations； which were appalling。 He had a poet's temperament； his
mind had entered by chance on a vast field； and he must see perforce
the dry bones of twenty future worlds。
At a first glance the place presented a confused picture in which
every achievement； human and divine； was mingled。 Crocodiles； monkeys；
and serpents stuffed with straw grinned at glass from church windows；
seemed to wish to bite sculptured heads； to chase lacquered work； or
to scramble up chandeliers。 A Sevres vase； bearing Napoleon's portrait
by Mme。 Jacotot； stood beside a sphinx dedicated to Sesostris。 The
beginnings of the world and the events of yesterday were mingled with
grotesque cheerfulness。 A kitchen jack leaned against a pyx； a
republican sabre on a mediaeval hackbut。 Mme。 du Barry； with a star
above her head； naked； and surrounded by a cloud； seemed to look
longingly out of Latour's pastel at an Indian chibook； while she tried
to guess the purpose of the spiral curves that wound towards her。
Instruments of death； poniards； curious pistols； and disguised weapons
had been flung down pell…mell among the paraphernalia of daily life；
porcelain tureens； Dresden plates； translucent cups from china； old
salt…cellars； comfit…boxes belonging to feudal times。 A carved ivory
ship sped full sail on the back of a motionless tortoise。
The Emperor Augustus remained unmoved and imperial with an air…pump
thrust into one eye。 Portraits of French sheriffs and Dutch
burgomasters； phlegmatic now as when in life； looked down pallid and
unconcerned on the chaos of past ages below them。
Every land of earth seemed to have contributed some stray fragment of
its learning； some example of its art。 Nothing seemed lacking to this
philosophical kitchen…midden； from a redskin's calumet； a green and
golden slipper from the seraglio； a Moorish yataghan； a Tartar idol；
to the soldier's tobacco pouch； to the priest's ciborium； and the
plumes that once adorned a throne。 This extraordinary combination was
rendered yet more bizarre by the accidents of lighting； by a multitude
of confused reflections of various hues； by the sharp contrast of
blacks and whites。 Broken cries seemed to reach the ear； unfinished
dramas seized upon the imagination； smothered lights caught the eye。 A
thin coating of inevitable dust covered all the multitudinous corners
and convolutions of these