t for all those in whose company Marguerite had lived.

Then we called on Julie Duprat, who told us the sad incident which she
had witnessed, shedding real tears at the remembrance of her friend.

Lastly, we went to Marguerite's grave, on which the first rays of the
April sun were bringing the first leaves into bud.

One duty remained to Armand--to return to his father. He wished me to
accompany him.

We arrived at C., where I saw M. Duval, such as I had imagined him from
the portrait his son had made of him, tall, dignified, kindly.

He welcomed Armand with tears of joy, and clasped my hand
affectionately. I was not long in seeing that the paternal sentiment was
that which dominated all others in his mind.

His daughter, named Blanche, had that transparence of eyes, that
serenity of the mouth, which indicates a soul that conceives only
holy thoughts and lips that repeat only pious words. She welcomed her
brother's return with smiles, not knowing, in the purity of her youth,
that far away a courtesan had sacrificed her own happiness at the mere
invocation of her name.

I remained for some time in their happy family, full of indulgent care
for one who brought them the convalescence of his heart.

I returned to Paris, where I wrote this story just as it had been told
me. It has only one merit, which will perhaps be denied it; that is,
that it is true.

I do not draw from this story the conclusion that all women like
Marguerite are capable of doing all that she did--far from it; but
I have discovered that one of them experienced a serious love in the
course of her life, that she suffered for it, and that she died of it. I
have told the reader all that I learned. It was my duty.

I am not the apostle of vice, but I would gladly be the echo of noble
sorrow wherever I bear its voice in prayer.

The story of Marguerite is an exception, I repeat; had it not been an
exception, it would not have been worth the trouble of writing it.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Camille (La Dame aux Camilias), by
Alexandre Dumas, fils

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CAMILLE (LA DAME AUX CAMILIAS) ***

***** This file should be named 1608.txt or 1608.zip *****
This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
http://www.gutenberg.org/1/6/0/1608/

Produced by Dianne Bean

Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
will be renamed.

Creating the works from