crackling, and soon leaped toward the sky, chasing clouds of smoke
before them.

It was a strange and savage spectacle, the great pile with trembling
shadows lit up in this way.

This cavern poured forth black smoke, unceasingly renewed and
disgorged. All around stood the woodcutters, somber, motionless,
expectant, their eyes fixed on the opening; and I, although trembling
from head to foot in fear, could not tear away my gaze.

It was a good quarter of an hour that we waited, and Dr. Weber was
beginning to grow impatient, when a black object, with long hooked
claws, appeared suddenly in the shadow and precipitated itself toward
the opening.

A cry resounded about the pyre.

The spider, driven back by the live coals, reentered its cave. Then,
smothered doubtless by the smoke, it returned to the charge and leaped
out into the midst of the flames. Its long legs curled up. It was as
large as my head, and of a violet red.

One of the woodcutters, fearing lest it leap clear of the fire, threw
his hatchet at it, and with such good aim that on the instant the fire
around it was covered with blood. But soon the flames burst out more
vigorously over it and consumed the horrible destroyer.

* * * * *

Such, Master Frantz, was the strange event which destroyed the fine
reputation which the waters of Spinbronn formerly enjoyed. I can
certify the scrupulous precision of my account. But as for giving you
an explanation, that would be impossible for me to do. At the same
time, allow me to tell you that it does not seem to me absurd to admit
that a spider, under the influence of a temperature raised by thermal
waters, which affords the same conditions of life and development as
the scorching climates of Africa and South America, should attain a
fabulous size. It was this same extreme heat which explains the
prodigious exuberance of the antediluvian creation!

However that may be, my tutor, judging that it would be impossible
after this event to reestablish the waters of Spinbronn, sold the
house back to Haselnoss, in order to return to America with his
negress and collections. I was sent to board in Strasbourg, where I
remained until 1809.

The great political events of the epoch then absorbing the attention
of Germany and France explain why the affair I have just told you
about passed completely unobserved.

HONORE DE BALZAC

_Melmoth Reconciled_[1]

To Monsieur le General