doubt　through　the　gate　of　dreams　into　a　noble　life。　Was　he　a
  centenarian　now？　Did　his　grandchildren　come　to　wish　him　length　of
  days？　Or；　on　a　rustic　bench　set　in　the　sun　and　under　the　trees；　was　he
  scanning；　like　the　prophet　on　the　mountain　heights；　a　promised　land；　a
  far…off　time　of　blessing。
  〃Here　you　are！〃
  The　words；　uttered　in　silver　tones；　dispelled　the　shadowy　faces　of　his
  dreams。　He　saw　Pauline；　in　the　lamplight；　sitting　upon　the　bed；
  Pauline　grown　fairer　yet　through　sorrow　and　separation。　Raphael
  remained　bewildered　by　the　sight　of　her　face；　white　as　the　petals　of
  some　water　flower；　and　the　shadow　of　her　long；　dark　hair　about　it
  seemed　to　make　it　whiter　still。　Her　tears　had　left　a　gleaming　trace
  upon　her　cheeks；　and　hung　there　yet；　ready　to　fall　at　the　least
  movement。　She　looked　like　an　angel　fallen　from　the　skies；　or　a　spirit
  that　a　breath　might　waft　away；　as　she　sat　there　all　in　white；　with　her
  head　bowed；　scarcely　creasing　the　quilt　beneath　her　weight。
  〃Ah；　I　have　forgotten　everything！〃　she　cried；　as　Raphael　opened　his
  eyes。　〃I　have　no　voice　left　except　to　tell　you；　'I　am　yours。'　There　is
  nothing　in　my　heart　but　love。　Angel　of　my　life；　you　have　never　been　so
  beautiful　before！　Your　eyes　are　blazing　But　come；　I　can　guess　it
  all。　You　have　been　in　search　of　health　without　me；　you　were　afraid　of
  mewell〃
  〃Go！　go！　leave　me；〃　Raphael　muttered　at　last。　〃Why　do　you　not　go？　If
  you　stay；　I　shall　die。　Do　you　want　to　see　me　die？〃
  〃Die？〃　she　echoed。　〃Can　you　die　without　me？　Die？　But　you　are　young；
  and　I　love　you！　Die？〃　she　asked；　in　a　deep；　hollow　voice。　She　seized
  his　hands　with　a　frenzied　movement。　〃Cold！〃　she　wailed。　〃Is　it　all　an
  illusion？〃
  Raphael　drew　the　little　bit　of　skin　from　under　his　pillow；　it　was　as
  tiny　and　as　fragile　as　a　periwinkle　petal。　He　showed　it　to　her。
  〃Pauline！〃　he　said；　〃fair　image　of　my　fair　life；　let　us　say　good…bye？〃
  〃Good…bye？〃　she　echoed；　looking　surprised。
  〃Yes。　This　is　a　talisman　that　grants　me　all　my　wishes；　and　that
  represents　my　span　of　life。　See　here；　this　is　all　that　remains　of　it。
  If　you　look　at　me　any　longer；　I　shall　die〃
  The　young　girl　thought　that　Valentin　had　grown　lightheaded；　she　took
  the　talisman　and　went　to　fetch　the　lamp。　By　its　tremulous　light　which
  she　shed　over　Raphael　and　the　talisman；　she　scanned　her　lover's　face
  and　the　last　morsel　of　the　magic　skin。　As　Pauline　stood　there；　in　all
  the　beauty　of　love　and　terror；　Raphael　was　no　longer　able　to　control
  his　thoughts；　memories　of　tender　scenes；　and　of　passionate　and　fevered
  joys；　overwhelmed　the　soul　that　had　so　long　lain　dormant　within　him；
  and　kindled　a　fire　not　quite　extinct。
  〃Pauline！　Pauline！　Come　to　me〃
  A　dreadful　cry　came　from　the　girl's　throat；　her　eyes　dilated　with
  horror；　her　eyebrows　were　distorted　and　drawn　apart　by　an　unspeakable
  anguish；　she　read　in　Raphael's　eyes　the　vehement　desire　in　which　she
  had　once　exulted；　but　as　it　grew　she　felt　a　light　movement　in　her
  hand；　and　the　skin　contracted。　She　did　not　stop　to　think；　she　fled
  into　the　next　room；　and　locked　the　door。
  〃Pauline！　Pauline！〃　cried　the　dying　man；　as　he　rushed　after　her；　〃I
  love　you；　I　adore　you；　I　want　you；　Pauline！　I　wish　to　die　in　your
  arms！〃
  With　unnatural　strength；　the　last　effort　of　ebbing　life；　he　broke　down
  the　door；　and　saw　his　mistress　writhing　upon　a　sofa。　Pauline　had
  vainly　tried　to　pierce　her　heart；　and　now　thought　to　find　a　rapid
  death　by　strangling　herself　with　her　shawl。
  〃If　I　die；　he　will　live；〃　she　said；　trying　to　tighten　the　knot　that
  she　had　made。
  In　her　struggle　with　death　her　hair　hung　loose；　her　shoulders　were
  bare；　her　clothing　was　disordered；　her　eyes　were　bathed　in　tears；　her
  face　was　flushed　and　drawn　with　the　horror　of　despair；　yet　as　her
  exceeding　beauty　met　Raphael's　intoxicated　eyes；　his　delirium　grew。　He
  sprang　towards　her　like　a　bird　of　prey；　tore　away　the　shawl；　and　tried
  to　take　her　in　his　arms。
  The　dying　man　sought　for　words　to　express　the　wish　that　was　consuming
  his　strength；　but　no　sounds　would　come　except　the　choking　death…rattle
  in　his　chest。　Each　breath　he　drew　sounded　hollower　than　the　last；　and
  seemed　to　come　from　his　very　entrails。　At　the　last　moment；　no　longer
  able　to　utter　a　sound；　he　set　his　teeth　in　Pauline's　breast。　Jonathan
  appeared；　terrified　by　the　cries　he　had　heard；　and　tried　to　tear　away
  the　dead　body　from　the　grasp　of　the　girl　who　was　crouching　with　it　in
  a　corner。
  〃What　do　you　want？〃　she　asked。　〃He　is　mine；　I　have　killed　him。　Did　I
  not　foresee　how　it　would　be？〃
  EPILOGUE
  〃And　what　became　of　Pauline？〃
  〃Pauline？　Ah！　Do　you　sometimes　spend　a　pleasant　winter　evening　by　your
  own　fireside；　and　give　yourself　up　luxuriously　to　memories　of　love　or
  youth；　while　you　watch　the　glow　of　the　fire　where　the　logs　of　oak　are
  burning？　Here；　the　fire　outlines　a　sort　of　chessboard　in　red　squares；
  there　it　has　a　sheen　like　velvet；　little　blue　flames　start　up　and
  flicker　and　play　about　in　the　glowing　depths　of　the　brasier。　A
  mysterious　artist　comes　and　adapts　that　flame　to　his　own　ends；　by　a
  secret　of　his　own　he　draws　a　visionary　face　in　the　midst　of　those
  flaming　violet　and　crimson　hues；　a　face　with　unimaginable　delicate
  outlines；　a　fleeting　apparition　which　no　chance　will　ever　bring　back
  again。　It　is　a　woman's　face；　her　hair　is　blown　back　by　the　wind；　her
  features　speak　of　a　rapture　of　delight；　she　breathes　fire　in　the　midst
  of　the　fire。　She　smiles；　she　dies；　you　will　never　see　her　any　more。
  Farewell；　flower　of　the　flame！　Farewell；　essence　incomplete　and
  unforeseen；　come　too　early　or　too　late　to　make　the　spark　of　some
  glorious　diamond。〃
  〃But；　Pauline？〃
  〃You　do　not　see；　then？　I　will　begin　again。　Make　way！　make　way！　She
  comes；　she　is　here；　the　queen　of　illusions；　a　woman　fleeting　as　a
  kiss；　a　woman　bright　as　lightning；　issuing　in　a　blaze　like　lightning
  from　the　sky；　a　being　uncreated；　of　spirit　and　love　alone。　She　has
  wrapped　her　shadowy　form　in　flame；　or　perhaps　the　flame　betokens　that
  she　exists　but　for　a　moment。　The　pure　outlines　of　her　shape　tell　you
  that　she　comes　from　heaven。　Is　she　not　radiant　as　an　angel？　Can　you
  not　hear　the　beating　of　her　wings　in　space？　She　sinks　down　beside　you
  more　lightly　than　a　bird；　and　you　are　entranced　by　her　awful　eyes；
  there　is　a　magical　power　in　her　light　breathing　that　draws　your　lips
  to　hers；　she　flies　and　you　follow；　you　feel　the　earth　beneath　you　no
  longer。　If　you　could　but　once　touch　that　form　of　snow　with　your　eager；
  deluded　hands；　once　twine　the　golden　hair　round　your　fingers；　place
  one　kiss　on　those　shining　eyes！　There　is　an　intoxicating　vapor　around；
  and　the　spell　of　a　siren　music　is　upon　you。　Every　nerve　in　you　is
  quivering；　you　are　filled　with　pain　and　longing。　O　joy　for　which　there
  is　no　name！　You　have　touched　the　woman's　lips；　and　you　are　awakened　at
  once　by　a　horrible　pang。　Oh！　ah！　yes；　you　have　struck　your　head
  against　the　corner　of　the　bedpost；　you　have　been　clasping　its　brown
  mahogany　sides；　and　chilly　gilt　ornaments；　embracing　a　piece　of　metal；
  a　brazen　Cupid。〃
  〃But　how　about　Pauline；　sir？〃
  〃What；　again？　Listen。　One　lovely　morning　at　Tours　a　young　man；　who
  held　the　hand　of　a　pretty　woman　in　his；　went　on　board　the　Ville
  d'Angers。　Thus　united　they　both　looked　and　wondered　long　at　a　white
  form　that　rose　elusively　out　of　the　mists　above　the　broad　waters　of
  the　Loire；　like　some　child　of　the　sun　and　the　river；　or　some　freak　of
  air　and　cloud。　This　translucent　form　was　a　sylph　or　a　naiad　by　turns；
  she　hovered　in　the　air　like　a　word　that　haunts　the　memory；　which　seeks
  in　vain　to　grasp　it；　she　glided　among　the　islands；　she　nodded　her　head
  here　and　there　among　the　tall　poplar　trees；　then　she　grew　to　a　giant's
  height；　she　shook　out　the　countless　folds　of　her　drapery　to　the　light；
  she　shot　light　from　the　aureole　that　the　sun　had　litten　about　her
  face；　she　hovered　above　the　slopes　of　the　hills　and　their　little
  hamlets；　and　seemed　to　bar　the　passage　of　the　boat　before　the　Chateau
  d'Usse。　You　might　have　thought　that　La　dame　des　belles　cousines　sought
  to　protect　her　country　from　modern　intrusion。〃
  〃Well；　well；　I　understand。　So　it　went　with　Pauline。　But　how　about
  Foedora？〃
  〃Oh！　Foedora；　you　are　sure　to　meet　with　her！　She　was　at　the　Bouffons
  last　night；　and　she　will　go　to　the　Opera　this　evening；　and　if　you　like
  to　take　it　so；　she　is　Society。〃
  ADDENDUM
  The　following　personages　appear　in　other　stories　of　the　Human　Comedy。
  Aquilina
  Melmoth　Reconciled
  Bianchon；　Horace
  Father　Goriot
  The　Atheist's　Mass
  Cesar　Birotteau
  The　Commission　in　Lunacy
  Lost　Illusions
  A　Distinguished　Provincial　at　Paris
  A　Bachelor's　Establishment
  The　Secrets　of　a　Princess
  The　Government　Clerks
  Pierrette
  A　Study　of　Woman
  Scenes　from　a　Courtesan's　Life
  Honorine
  The　Seamy　Side　of　History
  A　Second　Home
  A　Prince　of　Bohemia
  Letters　of　Two　Brides
  The　Muse　of　the　Department
  The　Imaginary　Mistress
  The　Middle　Classes
  Cousin　Betty
  The　Country　Parson
  In　addition；　M。　Bianchon　narrated　the　following：
  Another　Study　of　Woman
  La　Grande　Breteche
  Canalis；　Constant…Cyr…Melchior；　Baron　de
  Letters　of　Two　Brides
  A　Distinguished　Provincial　at　Paris
  Modeste　Mignon
  Ano