d her temples . . . what invisible hand had
laid those two sad violets upon her temples?

"There! there! there!" cried the old man as he stretched forth a
trembling arm which pointed aimlessly in all directions.

The first thing to be done was to help him. By means of a stone which I
threw up into the tree, I soon managed to bring the ball down. X . . .
witnessed its fall with childish delight. He had not recognized me. I
hurriedly escaped to spare him the trouble of thanking me and myself the
agony of seeing the change that had taken place in Marie's daughter.

[Illustration: 074]

[Illustration: 076]

10th August

I seldom go out. I am no longer moved by the beauty of things. Or to
speak more truly, the more pleasurable and splendid aspects of nature
give me pain. All day long I sully sheet after sheet of paper and
beguile the tedious hours with the half-faded recollections of my
childhood. What I am writing will be burned. I should be ashamed that
pages, tear-stained and dream-haunted, should fall beneath the eyes
of grave, sober-minded folk. What would they see in them? Naught but
childish faces.

[Illustration: 078]

20th August

To-dau I went for a stroll by the river in whose blue waters are
mirrored the willows and the houses that befringe its banks. There is a
seductive charm about running waters. They bear along with them as they
flow all those idlers who love to dream their time away.

The river lured me as far as the chateau de- ------ which had witnessed
the betrothal and the death of Marie, and the birth of Marguerite. My
heart tolled a knell within me when I saw once more that peaceful abode,
which, despite the scenes of sorrow enacted within its walls, speaks,
with its white pillared facade, of naught save elegant opulence and
luxurious repose. I was so overcome that, to save myself from falling,
I clung to the bars of the park gate and gazed at the wide lawns which
stretched away as far as the flight of steps which the hem of Marie's
robe had kissed so often. I had been there some minutes when the gate
was opened and X ... came out.

On this occasion, also, he was accompanied by his child: but this time
she was not walking. She was lying in a perambulator which was being
pushed by a governess. With her head resting on an embroidered pillow in
the shadow of the lowered hood, she resembled one of those little waxen
images of saint or martyr, embellished with silver filigree, on