effect on its impalpable body? No ... no ... no doubt about the
matter ... Then? ... then?...

_August 21._ I sent for a blacksmith from Rouen, and ordered iron
shutters of him for my room, such as some private hotels in Paris have
on the ground floor, for fear of thieves, and he is going to make me a
similar door as well. I have made myself out as a coward, but I do not
care about that!...

_September 10._ Rouen, Hotel Continental. It is done; ... it is
done.... But is he dead? My mind is thoroughly upset by what I have
seen.

Well, then, yesterday, the locksmith having put on the iron shutters and
door, I left everything open until midnight, although it was getting
cold.

Suddenly I felt that he was there, and joy, mad joy took possession of
me. I got up softly, and I walked to the right and left for sometime, so
that he might not guess anything; then I took off my boots and put on my
slippers carelessly; then I fastened the iron shutters and going back to
the door quickly I double-locked it with a padlock, putting the key into
my pocket.

Suddenly I noticed that he was moving restlessly round me, that in his
turn he was frightened and was ordering me to let him out. I nearly
yielded, though I did not yet, but putting my back to the door, I half
opened, just enough to allow me to go out backwards, and as I am very
tall, my head touched the lintel. I was sure that he had not been able
to escape, and I shut him up quite alone, quite alone. What happiness! I
had him fast. Then I ran downstairs; in the drawing-room, which was
under my bedroom, I took the two lamps and I poured all the oil onto the
carpet, the furniture, everywhere; then I set the fire to it and made my
escape, after having carefully double-locked the door.

I went and hid myself at the bottom of the garden, in a clump of laurel
bushes. How long it was! how long it was! Everything was dark, silent,
motionless, not a breath of air and not a star, but heavy banks of
clouds which one could not see, but which weighed, oh! so heavily on my
soul.

I looked at my house and waited. How long it was! I already began to
think that the fire had gone out of its own accord, or that he had
extinguished it, when one of the lower windows gave way under the
violence of the flames, and a long, soft, caressing sheet of red flame
mounted up the white wall, and kissed it as high as the roof. The light
fell onto the trees, the branches, and the leaves, and a shiver of f