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the Grabus' she went upstairs and hid among the hay； to wait for her
lover。 He soon joined her； and was beginning to say pretty things to
her； when the door of the hay…loft opened and the schoolmaster appeared；
and asked： 'What are you doing up there； Sigisbert？' Feeling sure that
he would be caught； the young schoolmaster lost his presence of mind and
replied stupidly： 'I came up here to rest a little amongst the bundles of
hay； Monsieur Grabu。'
〃The loft was very large and absolutely dark； and Sigisbert pushed the
frightened girl to the further end and said： 'Go over there and hide
yourself。 I shall lose my position； so get away and hide yourself。'
〃When the schoolmaster heard the whispering； he continued： 'Why； you are
not by yourself？' 'Yes； I am； Monsieur Grabu！' 'But you are not； for you
are talking。' 'I swear I am； Monsieur Grabu。' 'I will soon find out；' the
old man replied； and double locking the door； he went down to get a
light。
〃Then the young man； who was a coward such as one frequently meets； lost
his head； and becoming furious all of a sudden； he repeated： 'Hide
yourself； so that he may not find you。 You will keep me from making a
living for the rest of my life； you will ruin my whole career。 Do hide
yourself！' They could hear the key turning in the lock again； and
Hortense ran to the window which looked out on the street； opened it
quickly； and then said in a low and determined voice： 'You will come and
pick me up when he is gone；' and she jumped out。
〃Old Grabu found nobody； and went down again in great surprise； and a
quarter of an hour later； Monsieur Sigisbert came to me and related his
adventure。 The girl had remained at the foot of the wall unable to get
up； as she had fallen from the second story； and I went with him to fetch
her。 It was raining in torrents； and I brought the unfortunate girl home
with me； for the right leg was broken in three places； and the bones had
come trough the flesh。 She did not complain； and merely said； with
admirable resignation： 'I am punished； well punished！'
〃I sent for assistance and for the work…girl's relatives and told them a；
made…up story of a runaway carriage which had knocked her down and lamed
her outside my door。 They believed me； and the gendarmes for a whole
month tried in vain to find the author of this accident。
〃That is all！ And I say that this woman was a heroine and belonged to
the race of those who accomplish the grandest deeds of history。
〃That was her only love affair； and she died a virgin。 She was a martyr；
a noble soul； a sublimely devoted woman！ And if I did not absolutely
admire her； I should not have told you this story； which I would never
tell any one during her life； you understand why。〃
The doctor ceased。 Mamma cried and papa said some words which I did not
catch； then they left the room and I remained on my knees in the armchair
and sobbed； whilst I heard a strange noise of heavy footsteps and
something knocking against the side of the staircase。
They were carrying away Clochette's body。
THE KISS
My Little Darling： So you are crying from morning until night and from
night until morning； because your husband leaves you； you do not know
what to do and so you ask your old aunt for advice； you must consider her
quite an expert。 I don't know as much as you think I do； and yet I am
not entirely ignorant of the art of loving； or； rather； of making one's
self loved； in which you are a little lacking。 I can admit that at my
age。
You say that you are all attention； love； kisses and caresses for him。
Perhaps that is the very trouble； I think you kiss him too much。
My dear； we have in our hands the most terrible power in the world： LOVE。
Man is gifted with physical strength； and he exercises force。 Woman is
gifted with charm； and she rules with caresses。 It is our weapon；
formidable and invincible； but we should know how to use it。
Know well that we are the mistresses of the world！ To tell the history
of Love from the beginning of the world would be to tell the history of
man himself： Everything springs from it； the arts； great events； customs；
wars； the overthrow of empires。
In the Bible you find Delila； Judith； in fables we find Omphale； Helen；
in history the Sabines； Cleopatra and many others。
Therefore we reign supreme； all…powerful。 But； like kings； we must make
use of delicate diplomacy。
Love； my dear； is made up of imperceptible sensations。 We know that it
is as strong as death； but also as frail as glass。 The slightest shock
breaks it； and our power crumbles； and we are never able to raise it
again。
We have the power of making ourselves adored； but we lack one tiny thing；
the understanding of the various kinds of caresses。 In embraces we lose
the sentiment of delicacy； while the man over whom we rule remains master
of himself； capable of judging the foolishness of certain words。 Take
care； my dear； that is the defect in our armor。 It is our Achilles'
heel。
Do you know whence comes our real power？ From the kiss； the kiss alone！
When we know how to hold out and give up our lips we can become queens。
The kiss is only a preface； however； but a charming preface。 More
charming than the realization itself。 A preface which can always be read
over again； whereas one cannot always read over the book。
Yes； the meeting of lips is the most perfect； the most divine sensation
given to human beings； the supreme limit of happiness： It is in the kiss
alone that one sometimes seems to feel this union of souls after which we
strive； the intermingling of hearts； as it were。
Do you remember the verses of Sully…Prudhomme：
Caresses are nothing but anxious bliss；
Vain attempts of love to unite souls through a kiss。
One caress alone gives this deep sensation of two beings welded into one
it is the kiss。 No violent delirium of complete possession is worth
this trembling approach of the lips； this first moist and fresh contact；
and then the long； lingering； motionless rapture。
Therefore； my dear； the kiss is our strongest weapon； but we must take
care not to dull it。 Do not forget that its value is only relative；
purely conventional。 It continually changes according to circumstances；
the state of expectancy and the ecstasy of the mind。 I will call
attention to one example。
Another poet； Francois Coppee； has written a line which we all remember；
a line which we find delightful； which moves our very hearts。
After describing the expectancy of a lover； waiting in a room one
winter's evening； his anxiety； his nervous impatience； the terrible fear
of not seeing her； he describes the arrival of the beloved woman； who at
last enters hurriedly； out of breath； bringing with her part of the
winter breeze； and he exclaims：
Oh！ the taste of the kisses first snatched through the veil。
Is that not a line of exquisite sentiment； a delicate and charming
observation； a perfect truth？ All those who have hastened to a
clandestine meeting； whom passion has thrown into the arms of a man； well
do they know these first delicious kisses through the veil； and they
tremble at the