youhave,nodoubt,heardofthecatacombs?nowtheyarevanishingpointsinthatnewundergroundworld-thatwonderofthepresentday-thesewersofparis.thedryadwasthere,andnotintheworld'sexhibitioninthechampdemars.

sheheardexclamationsofwonderandadmiration.

"fromheregoforthhealthandlifeforthousandsuponthousandsupyonder!ourtimeisthetimeofprogress,withitsmanifoldblessings."

suchwastheopinionandthespeechofmen;butnotofthosecreatureswhohadbeenbornhere,andwhobuiltanddwelthere-oftherats,namely,whoweresqueakingtooneanotherinthecleftsofacrumblingwall,quiteplainly,andinawaythedryadunderstoodwell.

abigoldfather-rat,withhistailbittenoff,wasrelievinghisfeelingsinloudsqueaks;andhisfamilygavetheirtributeofconcurrencetoeverywordhesaid:

"iamdisgustedwiththisman-mewing,"hecried-"withtheseoutburstsofignorance.afinemagnificence,truly!allmadeupofgasandpetroleum!ican'teatsuchstuffasthat.everythinghereissofineandbrightnow,thatone'sashamedofone'sself,withoutexactlyknowingwhy.ah,ifweonlylivedinthedaysoftallowcandles!anditdoesnotliesoveryfarbehindus.thatwasaromantictime,asonemaysay."

"whatareyoutalkingofthere?"askedthedryad."ihaveneverseenyoubefore.whatisityouaretalkingabout?"

"ofthegloriousdaysthataregone,"saidtherat-"ofthehappytimeofourgreat-grandfathersandgreat-grandmothers.thenitwasagreatthingtogetdownhere.thatwasarat'snestquitedifferentfromparis.motherplagueusedtoliveherethen;shekilledpeople,butneverrats.robbersandsmugglerscouldbreathefreelyhere.herewasthemeeting-placeofthemostinterestingpersonages,whomonenowonlygetstoseeinthetheatreswheretheyactmelodrama,upabove.thetimeofromanceisgoneeveninourrat'snest;andherealsofreshairandpetroleumhavebrokenin."

thussqueakedtherat;hesqueakedinhonoroftheoldtime,whenmotherplaguewasstillalive.

acarriagestopped,akindofopenomnibus,drawnbyswiftcompanymountedanddroveawayalongtheboulevarddesebastopol,thatistosay,theundergroundboulevard,overwhichthewell-knowncrowdedstreetofthatnameextended.

thecarriagedisappearedinthetwilight;thedryaddisappeared,liftedtothecheerfulfreshnessabove.here,andnotbelowinthevaultedpassages,filledwithheavyair,thewonderworkmustbefoundwhichshewastoseekinhershortlifetime.itmustgleambrighterthanallthegas-flames,strongerthanthemoonthatwasjustglidingpast.

yes,certainly,shesawityonderinthedistance,itgleamedbeforeher,andtwinkledandglitteredliketheeveningstarinthesky.

shesawaglitteringportalopen,thatledtoalittlegarden,whereallwasbrightnessanddancemusic.coloredlampssurroundedlittlelakes,inwhichwerewater-plantsofcoloredmetal,fromwhoseflowersjetsofwaterspurtedup.beautifulweepingwillows,realproductsofspring,hungtheirfreshbranchesovertheselakeslikeafresh,green,transparent,andyetscreeningveil.inthebushesburntanopenfire,throwingaredtwilightoverthequiethutsofbranches,intowhichthesoundsofmusicpenetrated-aneartickling,intoxicatingmusic,thatsentthebloodcoursingthroughtheveins.

beautifulgirlsinfestiveattire,withpleasantsmilesontheirlips,andthelightspiritofyouthintheirhearts-"marys,"withrosesintheirhair,butwithoutcarriageandpostilion-flittedtoandfrointhewilddance.

whereweretheheads,wherethefeet?