'heasked.sheweptandsaid,'iwantedtokissthehenandbegherpardonforfrighteningheryesterday;butiwasafraidtotellyou.'

"andthefatherkissedtheinnocentchild'sforehead,andikissedheronthemouthandeyes."

thirdevening

"inthenarrowstreetroundthecorneryonder-itissonarrowthatmybeamscanonlyglideforaminutealongthewallsofthehouse,butinthatminuteiseeenoughtolearnwhattheworldismadeof-inthatnarrowstreetisawawoman.sixteenyearsagothatwomanwasachild,playinginthegardenoftheoldparsonage,inthecountry.thehedgesofrose-bushwereold,andtheflowerswerefaded.theystraggledwildoverthepaths,andtheraggedbranchesgrewupamongtheboughsoftheappletrees;hereandtherewereafewrosesstillinbloom-notsofairasthequeenofflowersgenerallyappears,butstilltheyhadcolourandscenttoo.theclergyman'slittledaughterappearedtomeafarlovelierrose,asshesatonherstoolunderthestragglinghedge,huggingandcaressingherdollwiththebatteredpasteboardcheeks.

"tenyearsafterwardsisawheragain.ibeheldherinasplendidballroom:shewasthebeautifulbrideofarichmerchant.irejoicedatherhappiness,andsoughtheroncalmquietevenings-ah,nobodythinksofmycleareyeandmysilentglance!alas!myroseranwild,liketherosebushesinthegardenoftherearetragediesinevery-daylife,andtonightisawthelastactofone.

"shewaslyinginbedinahouseinthatnarrowstreet:shewassickuntodeath,andthecruellandlordcameup,andtoreawaythethincoverlet,heronlyprotectionagainstthecold.'getup!'saidhe;'yourfaceisenoughtofrightenone.getupanddressyourself,givememoney,ori'llturnyououtintothestreet!quick-getup!'sheanswered,'alas!deathisgnawingatmyheart.letmerest.'butheforcedhertogetupandbatheherface,andputawreathofrosesinherhair;andheplacedherinachairatthewindow,withacandleburningbesideher,andwentaway.

"ilookedather,andshewassittingmotionless,withherhandsinherlap.thewindcaughttheopenwindowandshutitwithacrash,sothatapanecameclatteringdowninfragments;butstillshenevermoved.thecurtaincaughtfire,andtheflamesplayedaboutherface;andisawthatshewasdead.thereattheopenwindowsatthedeadwoman,preachingasermonagainstsin-mypoorfadedroseoutoftheparsonagegarden!"

fourthevening

"thiseveningisawagermanplayacted,"saidthemoon."itwasinalittletown.astablehadbeenturnedintoatheatre;thatistosay,thestablehadbeenleftstanding,andhadbeenturnedintoprivateboxes,andallthetimberworkhadbeencoveredwithcolouredpaper.alittleironchandelierhungbeneaththeceiling,andthatitmightbemadetodisappearintotheceiling,asitdoesingreattheatres,whentheting-tingoftheprompter'sbellisheard,agreatinvertedtubhasbeenplacedjustaboveit.

"'ting-ting!'andthelittleironchandeliersuddenlyroseatleasthalfayardanddisappearedinthetub;andthatwasthesignthattheplaywasgoingtobegin.ayoungnoblemanandhislady,whohappenedtobepassingthroughthelittletown,werepresentattheperformance,andconsequentlythehousewascrowded.butunderthechandelierwasavacantspacelikealittlecrater:notasinglesoulsatthere,forthetallowwasdropping,drip,drip!isaweverything,foritwassowarmintherethateveryloopholehadbeenopened.themaleandfemaleservantsstoodoutside,peepingthroughthechinks,althougharealpolicemanwasinside,threateningthemwithastick.closebytheorchestracouldbeseenthenobleyoungcoupleintwooldarm-chairs,whichwereusuallyoccupiedbyhisworshipthemayorandhislady;buttheselatterwereto-dayobligedtocontentthemselveswithwoodenforms,justasiftheyhadbeenordinarycitizens;andtheladyobservedquietlytoherself,'onesees,now,thatthereisrankaboverank;'andthisincidentgaveanairofextrafestivitytothewholeproceedings.thechandeliergavelittleleaps,thecrowdgottheirknucklesrapped,andi,themoon,waspresentattheperformancefrombeginningtoend."

fifthevening

"yesterday,"beganthemoon,"ilookeddownupontheturmoilofparis.myeyepenetratedintoanapartmentofthelouvre.anoldgrandmother,poorlyclad-shebelongedtotheworkingclass-wasfollowingoneoftheunder-servantsintothegreatemptythrone-room,forthiswastheapartmentshewantedtosee-thatshewasresolvedtosee;ithadcosthermanyalittlesacrifice,andmanyacoaxingword,topenetratethusfar.shefoldedherthinhands,andlookedroundwithanairofreverence,asifshehadbeeninachurch.

"'hereitwas!