me true. Those who are at Death's door,
their souls hovering between Heaven and earth, may have sometimes a
divine knowledge of things which are not revealed to the living.

This burst of emotion, instead of making her more despondent, did her
good. After she had wiped her tears away she was more hopeful, and it
seemed to her that the light evening breeze which fanned her cheek from
time to time brought her a kiss from her mother, touching her wet cheeks
and whispering to her her last words: "I see ... I know you will be
happy."

And why should it not be so? Why should her mother not be near her,
leaning over her at this moment like a guardian angel? For a long time
she sat deep in thought. Her beautiful little face was very grave. She
wondered, would everything come out all right for her in the end?

Then mechanically her eye fell on a large cluster of marguerites. She
got up quickly and picked a few, closing her eyes so as not to choose.

She came back to her place and, taking up one with a hand that shook,
she commenced to pick off the petals, one at a time, saying: "I shall
succeed; a little; a lot; completely; not at all." She repeated this
very carefully until there were only a few petals left on the last
flower.

How many, she did not want to count, for their number would have told
her the answer. So, with a heart beating rapidly, she quickly pulled off
the last petals.

"I shall succeed; a little; a lot; completely...."

At the same moment a warm breeze passed over her hair, over her lips. It
was surely her mother's reply in a kiss, the tenderest that she had ever
given her.

The night fell. She decided to go. Already down the straight road as far
as the river white vapors were rising, floating lightly around the great
trees. Here and there little lights from behind the windows of the
houses pierced the gathering darkness, and vague sounds broke the
silence of the peaceful Sabbath evening.

There was no need for her to stay out late now, for she had a roof to
cover her and a bed to sleep in; besides, as she was to get up early the
next day to go to work, it would be better to go to bed early.

As she walked through the village she recognized that the noises that
she had heard came from the cabarets. They were full. Men and women were
seated at the tables drinking. From the open door the odor of coffee,
hot alcohol and tobacco filled the street as though it were a vast sink.

She passed one cabaret a