Is　he　not　wretched　indeed　who　can　excite　pity　here？　Must　he　not　be
  very　helpless　to　receive　sympathy；　ghastly　in　appearance　to　raise　a
  shudder　in　these　places；　where　pain　utters　no　cry；　where　wretchedness
  looks　gay；　and　despair　is　decorous？　Such　thoughts　as　these　produced　a
  new　emotion　in　these　torpid　hearts　as　the　young　man　entered。　Were　not
  executioners　known　to　shed　tears　over　the　fair…haired；　girlish　heads
  that　had　to　fall　at　the　bidding　of　the　Revolution？
  The　gamblers　saw　at　a　glance　a　dreadful　mystery　in　the　novice's　face。
  His　young　features　were　stamped　with　a　melancholy　grace；　his　looks
  told　of　unsuccess　and　many　blighted　hopes。　The　dull　apathy　of　the
  suicide　had　made　his　forehead　so　deadly　pale；　a　bitter　smile　carved
  faint　lines　about　the　corners　of　his　mouth；　and　there　was　an
  abandonment　about　him　that　was　painful　to　see。　Some　sort　of　demon
  sparkled　in　the　depths　of　his　eye；　which　drooped；　wearied　perhaps　with
  pleasure。　Could　it　have　been　dissipation　that　had　set　its　foul　mark　on
  the　proud　face；　once　pure　and　bright；　and　now　brought　low？　Any　doctor
  seeing　the　yellow　circles　about　his　eyelids；　and　the　color　in　his
  cheeks；　would　have　set　them　down　to　some　affection　of　the　heart　or
  lungs；　while　poets　would　have　attributed　them　to　the　havoc　brought　by
  the　search　for　knowledge　and　to　night…vigils　by　the　student's　lamp。
  But　a　complaint　more　fatal　than　any　disease；　a　disease　more　merciless
  than　genius　or　study；　had　drawn　this　young　face；　and　had　wrung　a　heart
  which　dissipation；　study；　and　sickness　had　scarcely　disturbed。　When　a
  notorious　criminal　is　taken　to　the　convict's　prison；　the　prisoners
  welcome　him　respectfully；　and　these　evil　spirits　in　human　shape；
  experienced　in　torments；　bowed　before　an　unheard…of　anguish。　By　the
  depth　of　the　wound　which　met　their　eyes；　they　recognized　a　prince
  among　them；　by　the　majesty　of　his　unspoken　irony；　by　the　refined
  wretchedness　of　his　garb。　The　frock…coat　that　he　wore　was　well　cut；
  but　his　cravat　was　on　terms　so　intimate　with　his　waistcoat　that　no　one
  could　suspect　him　of　underlinen。　His　hands；　shapely　as　a　woman's　were
  not　perfectly　clean；　for　two　days　past　indeed　he　had　ceased　to　wear
  gloves。　If　the　very　croupier　and　the　waiters　shuddered；　it　was　because
  some　traces　of　the　spell　of　innocence　yet　hung　about　his　meagre；
  delicately…shaped　form；　and　his　scanty　fair　hair　in　its　natural　curls。
  He　looked　only　about　twenty…five　years　of　age；　and　any　trace　of　vice
  in　his　face　seemed　to　be　there　by　accident。　A　young　constitution　still
  resisted　the　inroads　of　lubricity。　Darkness　and　light；　annihilation
  and　existence；　seemed　to　struggle　in　him；　with　effects　of　mingled
  beauty　and　terror。　There　he　stood　like　some　erring　angel　that　has　lost
  his　radiance；　and　these　emeritus…professors　of　vice　and　shame　were
  ready　to　bid　the　novice　depart；　even　as　some　toothless　crone　might　be
  seized　with　pity　for　a　beautiful　girl　who　offers　herself　up　to　infamy。
  The　young　man　went　straight　up　to　the　table；　and；　as　he　stood　there；
  flung　down　a　piece　of　gold　which　he　held　in　his　hand；　without
  deliberation。　It　rolled　on　to　the　Black；　then；　as　strong　natures　can；
  he　looked　calmly；　if　anxiously；　at　the　croupier；　as　if　he　held　useless
  subterfuges　in　scorn。
  The　interest　this　coup　awakened　was　so　great　that　the　old　gamesters
  laid　nothing　upon　it；　only　the　Italian；　inspired　by　a　gambler's
  enthusiasm；　smiled　suddenly　at　some　thought；　and　punted　his　heap　of
  coin　against　the　stranger's　stake。
  The　banker　forgot　to　pronounce　the　phrases　that　use　and　wont　have
  reduced　to　an　inarticulate　cry〃Make　your　game。　。　。　。　The　game　is
  made。　。　。　。　Bets　are　closed。〃　The　croupier　spread　out　the　cards；　and
  seemed　to　wish　luck　to　the　newcomer；　indifferent　as　he　was　to　the
  losses　or　gains　of　those　who　took　part　in　these　sombre　pleasures。
  Every　bystander　thought　he　saw　a　drama；　the　closing　scene　of　a　noble
  life；　in　the　fortunes　of　that　bit　of　gold；　and　eagerly　fixed　his　eyes
  on　the　prophetic　cards；　but　however　closely　they　watched　the　young
  man；　they　could　discover　not　the　least　sign　of　feeling　on　his　cool　but
  restless　face。
  〃Even！　red　wins；〃　said　the　croupier　officially。　A　dumb　sort　of　rattle
  came　from　the　Italian's　throat　when　he　saw　the　folded　notes　that　the
  banker　showered　upon　him；　one　after　another。　The　young　man　only
  understood　his　calamity　when　the　croupiers's　rake　was　extended　to
  sweep　away　his　last　napoleon。　The　ivory　touched　the　coin　with　a　little
  click；　as　it　swept　it　with　the　speed　of　an　arrow　into　the　heap　of　gold
  before　the　bank。　The　stranger　turned　pale　at　the　lips；　and　softly　shut
  his　eyes；　but　he　unclosed　them　again　at　once；　and　the　red　color
  returned　as　he　affected　the　airs　of　an　Englishman；　to　whom　life　can
  offer　no　new　sensation；　and　disappeared　without　the　glance　full　of
  entreaty　for　compassion　that　a　desperate　gamester　will　often　give　the
  bystanders。　How　much　can　happen　in　a　second's　space；　how　many　things
  depend　on　a　throw　of　the　die！
  〃That　was　his　last　cartridge；　of　course；〃　said　the　croupier；　smiling
  after　a　moment's　silence；　during　which　he　picked　up　the　coin　between
  his　finger　and　thumb　and　held　it　up。
  〃He　is　a　cracked　brain　that　will　go　and　drown　himself；〃　said　a
  frequenter　of　the　place。　He　looked　round　about　at　the　other　players；
  who　all　knew　each　other。
  〃Bah！〃　said　a　waiter；　as　he　took　a　pinch　of　snuff。
  〃If　we　had　but　followed　HIS　example；〃　said　an　old　gamester　to　the
  others；　as　he　pointed　out　the　Italian。
  Everybody　looked　at　the　lucky　player；　whose　hands　shook　as　he　counted
  his　bank…notes。
  〃A　voice　seemed　to　whisper　to　me；〃　he　said。　〃The　luck　is　sure　to　go
  against　that　young　man's　despair。〃
  〃He　is　a　new　hand；〃　said　the　banker；　〃or　he　would　have　divided　his
  money　into　three　parts　to　give　himself　more　chance。〃
  The　young　man　went　out　without　asking　for　his　hat；　but　the　old
  watch…dog；　who　had　noted　its　shabby　condition；　returned　it　to　him
  without　a　word。　The　gambler　mechanically　gave　up　the　tally；　and　went
  downstairs　whistling　Di　tanti　Palpiti　so　feebly；　that　he　himself
  scarcely　heard　the　delicious　notes。
  He　found　himself　immediately　under　the　arcades　of　the　Palais…Royal；
  reached　the　Rue　Saint　Honore；　took　the　direction　of　the　Tuileries；　and
  crossed　the　gardens　with　an　undecided　step。　He　walked　as　if　he　were　in
  some　desert；　elbowed　by　men　whom　he　did　not　see；　hearing　through　all
  the　voices　of　the　crowd　one　voice　alonethe　voice　of　Death。　He　was
  lost　in　the　thoughts　that　benumbed　him　at　last；　like　the　criminals　who
  used　to　be　taken　in　carts　from　the　Palais　de　Justice　to　the　Place　de
  Greve；　where　the　scaffold　awaited　them　reddened　with　all　the　blood
  spilt　here　since　1793。
  There　is　something　great　and　terrible　about　suicide。　Most　people's
  downfalls　are　not　dangerous；　they　are　like　children　who　have　not　far
  to　fall；　and　cannot　injure　themselves；　but　when　a　great　nature　is
  dashed　down；　he　is　bound　to　fall　from　a　height。　He　must　have　been
  raised　almost　to　the　skies；　he　has　caught　glimpses　of　some　heaven
  beyond　his　reach。　Vehement　must　the　storms　be　which　compel　a　soul　to
  seek　for　peace　from　the　trigger　of　a　pistol。
  How　much　young　power　starves　and　pines　away　in　a　garret　for　want　of　a
  friend；　for　lack　of　a　woman's　consolation；　in　the　midst　of　millions　of
  fellow…creatures；　in　the　presence　of　a　listless　crowd　that　is　burdened
  by　its　wealth！　When　one　remembers　all　this；　suicide　looms　large。
  Between　a　self…sought　death　and　the　abundant　hopes　whose　voices　call　a
  young　man　to　Paris；　God　only　knows　what　may　intervene；　what　contending
  ideas　have　striven　within　the　soul；　what　poems　have　been　set　aside；
  what　moans　and　what　despair　have　been　repressed；　what　abortive
  masterpieces　and　vain　endeavors！　Every　suicide　is　an　awful　poem　of
  sorrow。　Where　will　you　find　a　work　of　genius　floating　above　the　seas
  of　literature　that　can　compare　with　this　paragraph：
  〃Yesterday；　at　four　o'clock；　a　young　woman　threw　herself　into　the
  Seine　from　the　Pont　des　Arts。〃
  Dramas　and　romances　pale　before　this　concise　Parisian　phrase；　so　must
  even　that　old　frontispiece；　The　Lamentations　of　the　glorious　king　of
  Kaernavan；　put　in　prison　by　his　children；　the　sole　remaining　fragment
  of　a　lost　work　that　drew　tears　from　Sterne　at　the　bare　perusalthe
  same　Sterne　who　deserted　his　own　wife　and　family。
  The　stranger　was　beset　with　such　thoughts　as　these；　which　passed　in
  fragments　through　his　mind；　like　tattered　flags　fluttering　above　the
  combat。　If　he　set　aside　for　a　moment　the　burdens　of　consciousness　and
  of　memory；　to　watch　the　flower　heads　gently　swayed　by　the　breeze　among
  the　green　thickets；　a　revulsion　came　over　him；　life　struggled　against
  the　oppressive　thought　of　suicide；　and　his　eyes　rose　to　the　sky：　gray
  clouds；　melancholy　gusts　of　the　wind；　the　stormy　atmosphere；　all
  decreed　that　he　should　die。
  He　bent　his　way　toward　the　Pont　Royal；　musing　over　the　last　fancies　of
  others　who　had　gone　before　him。　He　smiled　to　himself　as　he　remembered
  that　Lord　Castlereagh　had　satisfied　the　humblest　of　our　needs　before
  he　cut　his　throat；　and　that　the　academician　Auger　had　sought　for　his
  snuff…box　as　he　went　to　his　death。　He　analyzed　these　extravagances；
  and　even　examined　himself；　for　as　he　stood　aside　against　the