ordance　with　the　personal　inclination　of　her　own　heart；　in　order　to　make　a　son…in…law　of　her　lover。　Then　irregular　households；　courtesans　exhibiting　the　price　of　shame；　diamonds　like　circlets　of　fire　riveted　around　arms　and　neck。　And　those　groups　of　emasculate　youths；　with　their　open　collars　and　painted　eyebrows；　whose　shirts　of　embroidered　cambric　and　white　satin　corsets　people　used　to　admire　in　the　guest…chambers　at　Compiegne；　those　/mignons/；　of　the　time　of　Agrippa；　calling　each　other　among　themselves：　〃My　heartMy　dear　girl。〃　An　assemblage　of　all　the　scandals；　all　the　turpitudes；　consciences　sold　or　for　sale；　the　vice　of　an　epoch　devoid　of　greatness　and　without　originality；　intent　on　making　trial　of　the　caprices　of　every　other　age。
  And　these　were　the　people　who　were　insulting　him　and　crying：　〃Away　with　thee；　thou　art　unworthy！〃
  〃UnworthyI！　But　my　worth　is　a　hundred　times　greater　than　that　of　any　among　you；　wretches　that　you　are！　You　make　my　millions　a　reproach　to　me；　but　who　has　helped　me　to　spend　them？　Thou；　cowardly　and　treacherous　comrade；　who　hidest　thy　sick　pasha…like　obesity　in　the　corner　of　thy　stage…box！　I　made　thy　fortune　along　with　my　own　in　the　days　when　we　shared　all　things　in　brotherly　community。　Thou；　pale　marquisI　paid　a　hundred　thousand　francs　at　the　club　in　order　to　save　thee　from　shameful　expulsion！
  〃Thee　I　covered　with　jewels；　hussy；　letting　thee　pass　for　my　mistress；　because　that　kind　of　thing　makes　a　good　impression　in　our　worldbut　without　ever　asking　thee　anything　in　return。　And　thou；　brazen…faced　journalist；　who　for　brain　hast　all　the　dirty　sediment　of　thy　inkstand；　and　on　thy　conscience　as　many　spots　as　thy　queen　has　on　her　skin；　thou　thinkest　that　I　have　not　paid　thee　thy　price　and　that　is　why　thy　insults　are　heaped　on　me。　Yes；　yes；　stare　at　me；　you　vermin！　I　am　proud。　My　worth　is　above　yours。〃
  All　that　he　was　thus　saying　to　himself　mentally；　in　an　ungovernable　rage；　visible　in　the　quivering　of　his　pale；　thick　lips。　The　unfortunate　man；　who　was　nearly　mad；　was　about　perhaps　to　shout　it　aloud　in　the　silence；　to　denounce　that　insulting　crowdwho　knows？to　spring　into　the　midst　of　it；　kill　one　of　themah！　kill　/one/　of　them　when　he　felt　a　light　tap　on　his　shoulder；　and　a　fair　head　came　before　his　eyes；　serious　and　frank；　two　hands　held　out；　which　he　grasped　convulsively；　like　a　drowning　man。
  〃Ah！　dear　friend；　dear〃　the　poor　man　stammered。　But　he　had　not　the　strength　to　say　more。　This　emotion　of　joy　coming　suddenly　in　the　midst　of　his　fury　melted　him　into　a　sobbing　torrent　of　tears；　and　stifled　words。　His　face　became　purple。　He　motioned　〃Take　me　away。〃　And；　stumbling　in　his　walk；　leaning　on　de　Gery's　arm；　he　only　managed　to　cross　the　threshold　of　his　box　before　he　fell　prostrate　in　the　corridor。
  〃Bravo！　Bravo！　cried　the　house　in　reply　to　the　speech　which　the　actor　had　just　finished；　and　there　was　a　noise　like　a　hailstorm；　and　stamping　of　enthusiastic　feet　while　the　great　lifeless　body；　raised　with　difficulty　by　the　scene…shifters；　was　carried　through　the　brightly　lighted　wings；　crowded　with　people　pressing　in　their　curiosity　round　the　stage；　excited　by　the　atmosphere　of　success　and　who　hardly　noticed　the　passage　of　the　inert　and　vanquished　man；　borne　on　men's　arms　like　some　victim　of　a　riot。　They　laid　him　on　a　couch　in　the　room　where　the　properties　were　stored；　Paul　de　Gery　at　his　side；　with　a　doctor　and　two　porters　who　eagerly　lent　all　the　assistance　in　their　power。　Cardailhac；　extremely　busy　over　his　play；　had　sent　word　that　he　should　come　to　hear　the　news　〃directly；　after　the　fifth　act。〃
  Bleeding　after　bleeding；　cuppings；　mustard　leavesnothing　brought　even　a　quiver　to　the　skin　of　the　patient；　insensible　apparently　to　all　the　remedies　usually　employed　in　cases　of　apoplexy。　The　whole　being　seemed　to　be　surrendering　to　death；　to　be　preparing　the　way　for　the　rigidity　of　the　corpse；　and　this　in　the　most　sinister　place　in　the　world；　this　chaos；　lighted　by　a　lantern　merely；　amid　which　there　lie　about　pell…mell　in　the　dust　all　the　remains　of　former　playsgilt　furniture；　curtains　with　gay　fringes；　coaches；　boxes；　card…tables；　dismantled　staircases　and　balusters；　among　ropes　and　pulleys；　a　confusion　of　out…of…date　theatrical　properties；　thrown　down；　broken；　and　damaged。　Bernard　Jansoulet；　as　he　lay　among　this　wreckage；　his　shirt　opened　over　his　chest；　pale　and　covered　with　blood；　was　indeed　a　man　come　to　the　shipwreck　of　his　life；　bruised　and　tossed　aside　along　with　the　pitiful　ruins　of　his　artificial　luxury　dispersed　and　broken　up；　in　the　whirlpool　of　Paris。　Paul；　with　aching　heart；　contemplated　the　scene　sadly；　that　face　with　its　short　nose；　preserving　in　its　inertia　the　savage　yet　kindly　expression　of　an　inoffensive　creature　that　tried　to　defend　itself　before　it　died　and　had　not　time　to　bite。　He　reproached　himself　bitterly　with　his　inability　to　be　of　any　service　to　him。　Where　was　that　fine　project　of　leading　Jansoulet　across　the　bogs；　of　guarding　him　against　ambushes？　All　that　he　had　been　able　to　do　had　been　to　save　a　few　millions　for　him；　and　even　these　had　come　too　late。
  The　windows　had　just　been　thrown　open　upon　the　curved　balcony　over　the　boulevard；　now　at　the　height　of　its　noisy　and　brilliant　stir。　The　theatre　was　surrounded　by；　as　it　were；　a　plinth　of　gas…jets；　a　zone　of　fire　which　brought　the　gloomiest　recesses　into　light；　pricked　out　with　revolving　lanterns；　like　stars　journeying　through　a　dark　sky。　The　play　was　over。　People　were　coming　out。　The　black　and　dense　crowd　on　the　steps　was　dispersing　over　the　white　pavements；　on　its　way　to　spread　through　the　town　the　news　of　a　great　success　and　the　name　of　an　unknown　author　who　to…morrow　would　be　triumphant　and　famous。　A　splendid　evening；　so　that　the　windows　of　the　restaurants　were　lighted　up　in　gaiety　and　files　of　carriages　passed　through　the　streets　at　a　late　hour。　This　tumult　of　festivity　which　the　poor　Nabob　had　loved　so　keenly；　which　seemed　to　go　so　well　with　the　dizzy　whirl　of　his　existence；　roused　him　to　life　for　a　moment。　His　lips　moved；　and　into　his　dilated　eyes；　turned　towards　de　Gery；　there　came　before　he　died　a　pained　expression；　beseeching　and　protesting；　as　though　to　call　upon　him　as　witness　of　one　of　the　greatest　and　most　cruel　acts　of　injustice　that　Paris　has　ever　committed。
  End