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black letters； epigrams reproving the curious； /concetti/； wittily
turned farewells； rendezvous given at which only one side appears；
pretentious biographies； glitter； rubbish and tinsel。 Here the
floriated thyrsus； there a lance…head； farther on Egyptian urns； now
and then a few cannon； on all sides the emblems of professions； and
every style of art；Moorish； Greek； Gothic；friezes； ovules；
paintings； vases； guardian…angels； temples； together with innumerable
/immortelles/； and dead rose…bushes。 It is a forlorn comedy！ It is
another Paris； with its streets； its signs； its industries； and its
lodgings； but a Paris seen through the diminishing end of an opera…
glass； a microscopic Paris reduced to the littleness of shadows；
spectres； dead men； a human race which no longer has anything great
about it； except its vanity。 There Jules saw at his feet； in the long
valley of the Seine； between the slopes of Vaugirard and Meudon and
those of Belleville and Montmartre； the real Paris； wrapped in a misty
blue veil produced by smoke； which the sunlight tendered at that
moment diaphanous。 He glanced with a constrained eye at those forty
thousand houses； and said； pointing to the space comprised between the
column of the Place Vendome and the gilded cupola of the Invalides：
〃She was wrenched from me there by the fatal curiosity of that world
which excites itself and meddles solely for excitement and
occupation。〃
Twelve miles from where they were； on the banks of the Seine； in a
modest village lying on the slope of a hill of that long hilly basin
the middle of which great Paris stirs like a child in its cradle； a
death scene was taking place； far indeed removed from Parisian pomps；
with no accompaniment of torches or tapers or mourning…coaches；
without prayers of the Church； in short； a death in all simplicity。
Here are the facts： The body of a young girl was found early in the
morning； stranded on the river…bank in the slime and reeds of the
Seine。 Men employed in dredging sand saw it as they were getting into
their frail boat on their way to their work。
〃/Tiens/！ fifty francs earned！〃 said one of them。
〃True；〃 said the other。
They approached the body。
〃A handsome girl！ We had better go and make our statement。〃
And the two dredgers； after covering the body with their jackets； went
to the house of the village mayor； who was much embarrassed at having
to make out the legal papers necessitated by this discovery。
The news of this event spread with the telegraphic rapidity peculiar
to regions where social communications have no distractions； where
gossip； scandal； calumny； in short； the social tale which feasts the
world has no break of continuity from one boundary to another。 Before
long； persons arriving at the mayor's office released him from all
embarrassment。 They were able to convert the /proces…verbal/ into a
mere certificate of death； by recognizing the body as that of the
Demoiselle Ida Gruget； corset…maker； living rue de la Corderie…du…
Temple； number 14。 The judiciary police of Paris arrived； and the
mother； bearing her daughter's last letter。 Amid the mother's moans； a
doctor certified to death by asphyxia； through the injection of black
blood into the pulmonary system；which settled the matter。 The
inquest over； and the certificates signed； by six o'clock the same
evening authority was given to bury the grisette。 The rector of the
parish； however； refused to receive her into the church or to pray for
her。 Ida Gruget was therefore wrapped in a shroud by an old peasant…
woman； put into a common pine…coffin； and carried to the village
cemetery by four men； followed by a few inquisitive peasant…women； who
talked about the death with wonder mingled with some pity。
The widow Gruget was charitably taken in by an old lady who prevented
her from following the sad procession of her daughter's funeral。 A man
of triple functions； the bell…ringer； beadle； and grave…digger of the
parish； had dug a grave in the half…acre cemetery behind the church；
a church well known； a classic church； with a square tower and pointed
roof covered with slate； supported on the outside by strong corner
buttresses。 Behind the apse of the chancel； lay the cemetery； enclosed
with a dilapidated wall；a little field full of hillocks； no marble
monuments； no visitors； but surely in every furrow； tears and true
regrets； which were lacking to Ida Gruget。 She was cast into a corner
full of tall grass and brambles。 After the coffin had been laid in
this field； so poetic in its simplicity； the grave…digger found
himself alone； for night was coming on。 While filling the grave； he
stopped now and then to gaze over the wall along the road。 He was
standing thus； resting on his spade； and looking at the Seine； which
had brought him the body。
〃Poor girl！〃 cried the voice of a man who suddenly appeared。
〃How you made me jump； monsieur；〃 said the grave…digger。
〃Was any service held over the body you are burying？〃
〃No； monsieur。 Monsieur le cure wasn't willing。 This is the first
person buried here who didn't belong to the parish。 Everybody knows
everybody else in this place。 Does monsieurWhy； he's gone！〃
Some days had elapsed when a man dressed in black called at the house
of Monsieur Jules Desmarets； and without asking to see him carried up
to the chamber of his wife a large porphyry vase； on which were
inscribed the words：
INVITA LEGE
CONJUGI MOERENTI
FILIOLAE CINERES
RESTITUIT
AMICIS XII。 JUVANTIBUS
MORIBUNDUS PATER。
〃What a man！〃 cried Jules； bursting into tears。
Eight days sufficed the husband to obey all the wishes of his wife；
and to arrange his own affairs。 He sold his practice to a brother of
Martin Falleix； and left Paris while the authorities were still
discussing whether it was lawful for a citizen to dispose of the body
of his wife。
*****
Who has not encountered on the boulevards of Paris； at the turn of a
street； or beneath the arcades of the Palais…Royal； or in any part of
the world where chance may offer him the sight； a being； man or woman；
at whose aspect a thousand confused thoughts spring into his mind？ At
that sight we are suddenly interested； either by features of some
fantastic conformation which reveal an agitated life； or by a singular
effect of the whole person； produced by gestures； air； gait； clothes；
or by some deep； intense look； or by other inexpressible signs which
seize our minds suddenly and forcibly without our being able to
explain even to ourselves the cause of our emotion。 The next day other
thoughts and other images have carried out of sight that passing
dream。 But if we meet the same personage again； either passing at some
fixed hour； like the clerk of a mayor's office； or wandering about the
public promenades； like those individuals who seem to be a sort of
furniture of the streets of Paris； and who are always to be found in
public places； at first representations or noted restaurants；then
this being fastens himself or herself on our memory； and remains there
like the first volume of a novel the end of which is lost。 We are
tempted to question this unknown person； and say； 〃