myself what this all meant,
to what race of beings belonged this huntress of the tombs? Was she just
a common girl, one who went to seek among the tombs for men who were in
sorrow, haunted by the recollection of some woman, a wife or a
sweetheart, and still troubled by the memory of vanished caresses? Was
she unique? Are there many such? Is it a profession? Do they parade the
cemetery as they parade the street? Or else was she only impressed with
the admirable, profoundly philosophical idea of exploiting love
recollections, which are revived in these funereal places?

"And I would have liked to know whose widow she was on that special day."

MADEMOISELLE PEARL

I

What a strange idea it was for me to choose Mademoiselle Pearl for queen
that evening!

Every year I celebrate Twelfth Night with my old friend Chantal. My
father, who was his most intimate friend, used to take me round there
when I was a child. I continued the custom, and I doubtless shall
continue it as long as I live and as long as there is a Chantal in this
world.

The Chantals lead a peculiar existence; they live in Paris as though they
were in Grasse, Evetot, or Pont-a-Mousson.

They have a house with a little garden near the observatory. They live
there as though they were in the country. Of Paris, the real Paris, they
know nothing at all, they suspect nothing; they are so far, so far away!
However, from time to time, they take a trip into it. Mademoiselle
Chantal goes to lay in her provisions, as it is called in the family.
This is how they go to purchase their provisions:

Mademoiselle Pearl, who has the keys to the kitchen closet (for the linen
closets are administered by the mistress herself), Mademoiselle Pearl
gives warning that the supply of sugar is low, that the preserves are
giving out, that there is not much left in the bottom of the coffee bag.
Thus warned against famine, Mademoiselle Chantal passes everything in
review, taking notes on a pad. Then she puts down a lot of figures and
goes through lengthy calculations and long discussions with Mademoiselle
Pearl. At last they manage to agree, and they decide upon the quantity of
each thing of which they will lay in a three months' provision; sugar,
rice, prunes, coffee, preserves, cans of peas, beans, lobster, salt or
smoked fish, etc., etc. After which the day for the purchasing is
determined on and they go in a cab with a railing round the top and drive
to a large grocery s