run　away；　but　it　pursued　its　irresistible　course；　and　despite　my
  efforts　and　despite　my　anger；　I　could　not　even　retard　its　pace。
  As　I　was　resisting　in　desperation　that　insuperable　force；　I　was
  thrown　to　the　ground。　It　then　rolled　me　over；　trailed　me　along
  the　gravel；　and　the　rest　of　my　furniture；　which　followed　it；
  began　to　march　over　me；　tramping　on　my　legs　and　injuring　them。
  When　I　loosed　my　hold；　other　articles　had　passed　over　my　body；
  just　as　a　charge　of　cavalry　does　over　the　body　of　a　dismounted
  soldier。
  Seized　at　last　with　terror；　I　succeeded　in　dragging　myself　out　of
  the　main　avenue；　and　in　concealing　myself　again　among　the
  shrubbery；　so　as　to　watch　the　disappearance　of　the　most　cherished
  objects；　the　smallest；　the　least　striking；　the　least　unknown
  which　had　once　belonged　to　me。
  I　then　heard；　in　the　distance；　noises　which　came　from　my
  apartments；　which　sounded　now　as　if　the　house　were　empty；　a　loud
  noise　of　shutting　of　doors。　They　were　being　slammed　from　top　to
  bottom　of　my　dwelling；　even　the　door　which　I　had　just　opened
  myself　unconsciously；　and　which　had　closed　of　itself；　when　the
  last　thing　had　taken　its　departure。　I　took　flight　also；　running
  toward　the　city；　and　only　regained　my　self…composure；　on　reaching
  the　boulevards；　where　I　met　belated　people。　I　rang　the　bell　of　a
  hotel　were　I　was　known。　I　had　knocked　the　dust　off　my　clothes
  with　my　hands；　and　I　told　the　porter　that　I　had　lost　my　bunch　of
  keys；　which　included　also　that　to　the　kitchen　garden；　where　my
  servants　slept　in　a　house　standing　by　itself；　on　the　other　side
  of　the　wall　of　the　inclosure　which　protected　my　fruits　and
  vegetables　from　the　raids　of　marauders。
  I　covered　myself　up　to　the　eyes　in　the　bed　which　was　assigned　to
  me；　but　could　not　sleep；　and　I　waited　for　the　dawn　listening　to
  the　throbbing　of　my　heart。　I　had　given　orders　that　my　servants
  were　to　be　summoned　to　the　hotel　at　daybreak；　and　my　valet　de
  chambre　knocked　at　my　door　at　seven　o'clock　in　the　morning。
  His　countenance　bore　a　woeful　look。
  〃A　great　misfortune　has　happened　during　the　night；　Monsieur；〃
  said　he。
  〃What　is　it？〃
  〃Somebody　has　stolen　the　whole　of　Monsieur's　furniture；　all；
  everything；　even　to　the　smallest　articles。〃
  This　news　pleased　me。　Why？　Who　knows？　I　was　complete　master　of
  myself；　bent　on　dissimulating；　on　telling　no　one　of　anything　I
  had　seen；　determined　on　concealing　and　in　burying　in　my　heart　of
  hearts　a　terrible　secret。　I　responded：
  〃They　must　then　be　the　same　people　who　have　stolen　my　keys。　The
  police　must　be　informed　immediately。　I　am　going　to　get　up；　and　I
  will　join　you　in　a　few　moments。〃
  The　investigation　into　the　circumstances　under　which　the　robbery
  might　have　been　committed　lasted　for　five　months。　Nothing　was
  found；　not　even　the　smallest　of　my　knickknacks；　nor　the　least
  trace　of　the　thieves。　Good　gracious！　If　I　had　only　told　them　what
  I　knewIf　I　had　saidI　should　have　been　locked　upI；　not　the
  thievesfor　I　was　the　only　person　who　had　seen　everything　from
  the　first。
  Yes！　but　I　knew　how　to　keep　silence。　I　shall　never　refurnish　my
  house。　That　were　indeed　useless。　The　same　thing　would　happen
  again。　I　had　no　desire　even　to　re…enter　the　house；　and　I　did　not
  re…enter　it；　I　never　visited　it　again。　I　moved　to　Paris；　to　the
  hotel；　and　consulted　doctors　in　regard　to　the　condition　of　my
  nerves；　which　had　disquieted　me　a　good　deal　ever　since　that　awful
  night。
  They　advised　me　to　travel；　and　I　followed　their　counsel。
  II。
  I　began　by　making　an　excursion　into　Italy。　The　sunshine　did　me
  much　good。　For　six　months　I　wandered　about　from　Genoa　to　Venice；
  from　Venice　to　Florence；　from　Florence　to　Rome；　from　Rome　to
  Naples。　Then　I　traveled　over　Sicily；　a　country　celebrated　for　its
  scenery　and　its　monuments；　relics　left　by　the　Greeks　and　the
  Normans。　Passing　over　into　Africa；　I　traversed　at　my　ease　that
  immense　desert；　yellow　and　tranquil；　in　which　camels；　gazelles；
  and　Arab　vagabonds　roam　aboutwhere；　in　the　rare　and　transparent
  atmosphere；　there　hover　no　vague　hauntings；　where　there　is　never
  any　night；　but　always　day。
  I　returned　to　France　by　Marseilles；　and　in　spite　of　all　its
  Provencal　gaiety；　the　diminished　clearness　of　the　sky　made　me
  sad。　I　experienced；　in　returning　to　the　Continent；　the　peculiar
  sensation　of　an　illness　which　I　believed　had　been　cured；　and　a
  dull　pain　which　predicted　that　the　seeds　of　the　disease　had　not
  been　eradicated。
  I　then　returned　to　Paris。　At　the　end　of　a　month　I　was　very
  dejected。　It　was　in　the　autumn；　and　I　determined　to　make；　before
  winter　came；　an　excursion　through　Normandy；　a　country　with　which
  I　was　unacquainted。
  I　began　my　journey；　in　the　best　of　spirits；　at　Rouen；　and　for
  eight　days　I　wandered　about；　passive；　ravished；　and　enthusiastic；
  in　that　ancient　city；　that　astonishing　museum　of　extraordinary
  Gothic　monuments。
  But　one　afternoon；　about　four　o'clock；　as　I　was　sauntering　slowly
  through　a　seemingly　unattractive　street；　by　which　there　ran　a
  stream　as　black　as　the　ink　called　〃Eau　de　Robec；〃　my　attention；
  fixed　for　the　moment　on　the　quaint；　antique　appearance　of　some　of
  the　houses；　was　suddenly　attracted　by　the　view　of　a　series　of
  second…hand　furniture　shops；　which　followed　one　another；　door
  after　door。
  Ah！　they　had　carefully　chosen　their　locality；　these　sordid
  traffickers　in　antiquities；　in　that　quaint　little　street；
  overlooking　the　sinister　stream　of　water；　under　those　tile　and
  slate…pointed　roofs　on　which　still　grinned　the　vanes　of　bygone
  days。
  At　the　end　of　these　grim　storehouses　you　saw　piled　up　sculptured
  chests；　Rouen；　Sevres；　and　Moustier's　pottery；　painted　statues；
  others　of　oak；　Christs；　Virgins；　Saints；　church　ornaments；
  chasubles；　capes；　even　sacred　vases；　and　an　old　gilded　wooden
  tabernacle；　where　a　god　had　hidden　himself　away。　What　singular
  caverns　there　are　in　those　lofty　houses；　crowded　with　objects　of
  every　description；　where　the　existence　of　things　seems　to　be
  ended；　things　which　have　survived　their　original　possessors；
  their　century；　their　times；　their　fashions；　in　order　to　be　bought
  as　curiosities　by　new　generations。
  My　affection　for　antiques　was　awakened　in　that　city　of
  antiquaries。　I　went　from　shop　to　shop；　crossing　in　two　strides
  the　rotten　four　plank　bridges　thrown　over　the　nauseous　current
  of　the　〃Eau　de　Robec。〃
  Heaven　protect　me！　What　a　shock！　At　the　end　of　a　vault；　which　was
  crowded　with　articles　of　every　description　and　which　seemed　to　be
  the　entrance　to　the　catacombs　of　a　cemetery　of　ancient　furniture；
  I　suddenly　descried　one　of　my　most　beautiful　wardrobes。　I
  approached　it；　trembling　in　every　limb；　trembling　to　such　an
  extent　that　I　dared　not　touch　it；　I　put　forth　my　hand；　I
  hesitated。　Nevertheless　it　was　indeed　my　wardrobe；　a　unique
  wardrobe　of　the　time　of　Louis　XIII。；　recognizable　by　anyone　who
  had　seen　it　only　once。　Casting　my　eyes　suddenly　a　little　farther；
  toward　the　more　somber　depths　of　the　gallery；　I　perceived　three
  of　my　tapestry　covered　chairs；　and　farther　on　still；　my　two　Henry
  II。　tables；　such　rare　treasures　that　people　came　all　the　way　from
  Paris　to　see　them。
  Think！　only　think　in　what　a　state　of　mind　I　now　was！　I　advanced；
  haltingly；　quivering　with　emotion；　but　I　advanced；　for　I　am
  braveI　advanced　like　a　knight　of　the　dark　ages。
  At　every　step　I　found　something　that　belonged　to　me；　my　brushes；
  my　books；　my　tables；　my　silks；　my　arms；　everything；　except　the
  bureau　full　of　my　letters；　and　that　I　could　not　discover。
  I　walked　on；　descending　to　the　dark　galleries；　in　order　to　ascend
  next　to　the　floors　above。　I　was　alone；　I　called　out；　nobody
  answered；　I　was　alone；　there　was　no　one　in　that　housea　house　as
  vast　and　tortuous　as　a　labyrinth。
  Night　came　on；　and　I　was　compelled　to　sit　down　in　the　darkness　on
  one　of　my　own　chairs；　for　I　had　no　desire　to　go　away。　From　time
  to　time　I　shouted；　〃Hallo；　hallo；　somebody。〃
  I　had　sat　there；　certainly；　for　more　than　an　hour　when　I　heard
  steps；　steps　soft　and　slow；　I　knew　not　where。　I　was　unable　to
  locate　them；　but　bracing　myself　up；　I　called　out　anew；　whereupon
  I　perceived　a　glimmer　of　light　in　the　next　chamber。
  〃Who　is　there？〃　said　a　voice。
  〃A　buyer；〃　I　responded。
  〃It　is　too　late　to　enter　thus　into　a　shop。〃
  〃I　have　been　waiting　for　you　for　more　than　an　hour；〃　I　answered。
  〃You　can　come　back　to…morrow。〃
  〃To…morrow　I　must　quit　Rouen。〃
  I　dared　not　advance；　and　he　did　not　come　to　me。　I　saw　always　the
  glimmer　of　his　light；　which　was　shining　on　a　tapestry　on　which
  were　two　angels　flying　over　the　dead　on　a　field　of　battle。　It
  belonged　to　me　also。　I　said：
  〃Well；　come　here。〃
  〃I　am　at　your　service；〃　he　answered。
  I　got　up　and　went　toward　him。
  Standing　in　the　center　of　a　large　room；　was　a　little　man；　very
  short；　and　very　fat；　phenomenally　fat；　a　hideous　phenomenon。
  He　had　a　singular　straggling　beard；