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〃And Coccoz himself？〃 I asked。
I was answered that I would never see him again。 The poor little man had been laid away underground； without my knowledge； and； indeed； with the knowledge of very few people； on a short time after the happy delivery of Madame Coccoz。 I leaned that his wife had been able to console herself： I did likewise。
〃But； Therese；〃 I asked； 〃has Madame Coccoz got everything she needs in that attic of hers？〃
〃You would be a great dupe； Monsieur；〃 replied my housekeeper； 〃if you should bother yourself about that creature。 They gave her notice to quit the attic when the roof was repaired。 But she stays there yetin spite of the proprietor； the agent； the concierge； and the bailiffs。 I think she has bewitched every one of them。 She will leave the attic when she pleases； Monsieur； but she is going to leave in her own carriage。 Let me tell you that！〃
Therese reflected for a moment； and then uttered these words：
〃A pretty face is a curse from Heaven。〃
〃Then I ought to thank Heaven for having spared me that curse。 But here！ put my hat and cane away。 I am going to amuse myself with a few pages of Moreri。 If I can trust my old fox…nose； we are going to have a nicely flavoured pullet for dinner。 Look after that estimable fowl； my girl； and spare your neighbors； so that you and your old master may be spared by them in turn。〃
Having thus spoken； I proceeded to follow out the tufted ramifications of a princely genealogy。
May 7； 1851
I have passed the winter according to the ideal of the sages； in angello cum libello； and now the swallows of the Quai Malaquais find me on their return about as when they left me。 He who lives little； changes little； and it is scarcely living at all to use up one's days over old texts。
Yet I feel myself to…day a little more deeply impregnated than ever before with that vague melancholy which life distils。 The economy of my intelligence （I dare scarcely confess it to myself！） has remained disturbed ever since that momentous hour in which the existence of the manuscript of the Clerk Alexander was first revealed to me。
It is strange that I should have lost my rest simply on account of a few old sheets of parchment； but it is unquestionably true。 The poor man who has no desires possesses the greatest of riches； he possesses himself。 The rich man who desires something is only a wretched slave。 I am just such a slave。 The sweetest pleasures those of converse with some one of a delicate and well…balanced mind； or dining out with a friendare insufficient to enable me to forget the manuscript which I know that I want； and have been wanting from the moment I knew of its existence。 I feel the want of it by day and by night： I feel the want of it in all my joys and pains； I feel the want of it while at work or asleep。
I recall my desires as a child。 How well I can now comprehend the intense wishes of my early years！
I can see once more； with astonishing vividness； a certain doll which； when I was eight years old； used to be displayed in the window of an ugly little shop of the Rue de Seine。 I cannot tell how it happened that this doll attracted me。 I was very proud of being a boy； I despised little girls； and I longed impatiently for the day （which alas！ has come） when a strong beard should bristle on my chin。 I played at being a soldier； and； under the pretext of obtaining forage for my rocking…horse； I used to make sad havoc among the plants my poor mother delighted to keep on her window…sill。 Manly amusements those； I should say！ And； nevertheless； I was consumed with longing for a doll。 Characters like Hercules have such weaknesses occasionally。 Was the one I had fallen in love with at all beautiful？ No。 I can see her now。 She had a splotch of vermilion on either cheek； short soft arms； horrible wooden hands； and long sprawling legs。 Her flowered petticoat was fastened at the waist with two pins。 Even now I cans see the balck heads of those two pins。 It was a decidedly vulgar dollsmelt of the faubourg。 I remember perfectly well that； child as I was then； before I had put on my first pair of trousers； I was quite conscious in my own way that this doll lacked grace and stylethat she was gross； that she was course。 But I loved her in spite of that； I loved her just for that； I loved her only； I wanted her。 My soldiers and my drums had become as nothing in my eyes； I ceased to stick sprigs of heliotrope and veronica into the mouth of my rocking…horse。 That doll was all the world to me。 I invented ruses worthy of a savage to oblige Virginie； my nurse； to take me by the little shop in the Rue de Seine。 I would press my nose against the window until my nurse had to take my arm and drag me away。 〃Monsieur Sylvestre； it is late； and your mamma will scold you。〃 Monsieur Sylvestre in those days made very little of either scoldings or whippings。 But his nurse lifted him up like a feather； and Monsieur Sylvestre yielded to force。 In after…years； with age； he degenerated； and sometimes yielded to fear。 But at that time he used to fear nothing。
I was unhappy。 An unreasoning but irresistible shame prevented me from telling my mother about the object of my love。 Thence all my sufferings。 For many days that doll； incessantly present in fancy； danced before my eyes； stared at me fixedly； opened her arms to me； assuming in my imagination a sort of life which made her appear at once mysterious and weird； and thereby all the more charming and desirable。
Finally； one daya day I shall never forgetmy nurse took me to see my uncle； Captain Victor； who had invited me to lunch。 I admired my uncle a great deal； as much because he had fired the last French cartridge at Waterloo； as because he used to prepare with his own hands； at my mother's table； certain chapons…a…l'ail ＇Crust on which garlic has been rubbed＇； which he afterwards put in the chicory salad。 I thought that was very fine！ My Uncle Victor also inspired me with much respect by his frogged coat； and still more by his way of turning the whole house upside down from the moment he came into it。 Even now I cannot tell just how he managed it； but I can affirm that whenever my Uncle Victor found himself in any assembly of twenty persons； it was impossible to see or to hear anybody but him。 My excellent father； I have reason to believe； never shared my admiration for Uncle Victor； who used to sicken him with his pipe； give him great thumps in the back by way of friendliness； and accuse him of lacking energy。 My mother； though always showing a sister's indulgence to the Captain； sometimes advised him to fold the brandy… bottle a little less frequently。 But I had no part either in these repugnances or these reproaches； and Uncle Victor inspired me with the purest enthusiasm。 It was therefore with a feeling of pride that I entered into the little lodging he occupied in the Rue Guenegaud。 The entire lunch； served on a small table close to the fireplace； consisted of cold meats and confectionery。
The Captain stuffed me with cakes and undiluted wine。 He told me of numberless injustices to which he had been a victim。 He complained particularly of the Bourbons； and as he