eized； and I have nothing of my own。
〃Do you understand； my friend？ I am dying； and from my bed I can hear a man walking to and fro in the drawing…room； my creditors have put him there to see that nothing is taken away； and that nothing remains to me in case I do not die。 I hope they will wait till the end before they begin to sell。
〃Oh； men have no pity！ or rather； I am wrong； it is God who is just and inflexible！
〃And now； dear love； you will come to my sale； and you will buy something； for if I put aside the least thing for you； they might accuse you of embezzling seized goods。
〃It is a sad life that I am leaving！
〃It would be good of God to let me see you again before I die。 According to all probability； good…bye； my friend。 Pardon me if I do not write a longer letter； but those who say they are going to cure me wear me out with bloodletting； and my hand refuses to write any more。
〃MARGUERITE GAUTIER。〃
The last two words were scarcely legible。 I returned the letter to Armand； who had； no doubt； read it over again in his mind while I was reading it on paper； for he said to me as he took it：
〃Who would think that a kept woman could have written that？〃 And； overcome by recollections； he gazed for some time at the writing of the letter； which he finally carried to his lips。
〃And when I think；〃 he went on； 〃that she died before I could see her； and that I shall never see her again； when I think that she did for me what no sister would ever have done； I can not forgive myself for having left her to die like that。 Dead！ Dead and thinking of me； writing and repeating my name； poor dear Marguerite！〃
And Armand； giving free outlet to his thoughts and his tears； held out his hand to me； and continued：
〃People would think it childish enough if they saw me lament like this over a dead woman such as she； no one will ever know what I made that woman suffer； how cruel I have been to her！ how good； how resigned she was！ I thought it was I who had to forgive her； and to…day I feel unworthy of the forgiveness which she grants me。 Oh； I would give ten years of my life to weep at her feet for an hour！〃
It is always difficult to console a sorrow that is unknown to one； and nevertheless I felt so lively a sympathy for the young man； he made me so frankly the confidant of his distress； that I believed a word from me would not be indifferent to him； and I said：
〃Have you no parents； no friends？ Hope。 Go and see them； they will console you。 As for me； I can only pity you。〃
〃It is true；〃 he said； rising and walking to and fro in the room； 〃I am wearying you。 Pardon me； I did not reflect how little my sorrow must mean to you； and that I am intruding upon you something which can not and ought not to interest you at all。〃
〃You mistake my meaning。 I am entirely at your service； only I regret my inability to calm your distress。 If my society and that of my friends can give you any distraction； if； in short； you have need of me； no matter in what way； I hope you will realize how much pleasure it will give me to do anything for you。〃
〃Pardon； pardon；〃 said he； 〃sorrow sharpens the sensations。 Let me stay here for a few minutes longer； long enough to dry my eyes； so that the idlers in the street may not look upon it as a curiosity to see a big fellow like me crying。 You have made me very happy by giving me this book。 I do not know how I can ever express my gratitude to you。〃
〃By giving me a little of your friendship；〃 said I； 〃and by telling me the cause of your suffering。 One feels better while telling what one suffers。〃
〃You are right。 But to…day I have too much need of tears； I can not very well talk。 One day I will tell you the whole story； and you will see if I have reason for regretting the poor girl。 And now；〃 he added； rubbing his eyes for the last time； and looking at himself in the glass； 〃say that you do not think me too absolutely idiotic； and allow me to come back and see you another time。〃
He cast on me a gentle and amiable look。 I was near embracing him。 As for him； his eyes again began to fill with tears； he saw that I perceived it and turned away his head。
〃Come；〃 I said； 〃courage。〃
〃Good…bye；〃 he said。
And； making a desperate effort to restrain his tears； he rushed rather than went out of the room。
I lifted the curtain of my window； and saw him get into the cabriolet which awaited him at the door； but scarcely was he seated before he burst into tears and hid his face in his pocket…handkerchief。
Chapter 5
A good while elapsed before I heard anything more of Armand； but； on the other hand； I was constantly hearing of Marguerite。
I do not know if you have noticed； if once the name of anybody who might in the natural course of things have always remained unknown； or at all events indifferent to you； should he mentioned before you； immediately details begin to group themselves about the name； and you find all your friends talking to you about something which they have never mentioned to you before。 You discover that this person was almost touching you and has passed close to you many times in your life without your noticing it； you find coincidences in the events which are told you； a real affinity with certain events of your own existence。 I was not absolutely at that point in regard to Marguerite； for I had seen and met her； I knew her by sight and by reputation； nevertheless； since the moment of the sale； her name came to my ears so frequently； and； owing to the circumstance that I have mentioned in the last chapter； that name was associated with so profound a sorrow； that my curiosity increased in proportion with my astonishment。 The consequence was that whenever I met friends to whom I had never breathed the name of Marguerite； I always began by saying：
〃Did you ever know a certain Marguerite Gautier？〃
〃The Lady of the Camellias？〃
〃Exactly。〃
〃Oh； very well！〃
The word was sometimes accompanied by a smile which could leave no doubt as to its meaning。
〃Well； what sort of a girl was she？〃
〃A good sort of girl。〃
〃Is that all？〃
〃Oh； yes； more intelligence and perhaps a little more heart than most。〃
〃Do you know anything particular about her？〃
〃She ruined Baron de G。〃
〃No more than that？〃
〃She was the mistress of the old Duke of 。 。 。〃
〃Was she really his mistress？〃
〃So they say； at all events； he gave her a great deal of money。〃
The general outlines were always the same。 Nevertheless I was anxious to find out something about the relations between Marguerite and Armand。 Meeting one day a man who was constantly about with known women； I asked him： 〃Did you know Marguerite Gautier？〃
The answer was the usual： 〃Very well。〃
〃What sort of a girl was she？〃
〃A fine； good girl。 I was very sorry to hear of her death。〃
〃Had she not a lover called Armand Duval？〃
〃Tall and blond？〃
〃Yes。
〃It is quite true。〃
〃Who was this Armand？〃
〃A fellow who squandered on her the little money he had； and then had to leave her。 They say he was quite wild about it。〃
〃And she？〃
〃They always say she was very much in love with him； but as girls like that are in love。 It is no good to ask them for what they can not give。〃
〃What has become of Armand？〃
〃I don't know。 We knew him very little。 He was with Marguerite for five or six months in the country。 When she came back； he had gone。〃
〃And you have never seen him since？〃
〃Never。〃
I； too； had not seen Armand again。 I was beginning to ask myself if； when he had come to see me； the recent news of Marguerite's death had not exaggerated his former love； and consequently his sorrow； and I said to myself that perhaps he had already forgotten the dead woman； and along with her his promise to come and see me again。 This supposition would have seemed probable enough in most instances； but in Armand's despair there had been an accent of real sincerity； and； going from one extreme to another； I imagined that distress had brought on an illness； and that my not seeing him was explained by the fact that he was ill； perhaps dead。
I was interested in the young man in spite of myself。 Perhaps there was some selfishness in this interest； perhaps I guessed at some pathetic love story under all this sorrow； perhaps my desire to know all about it had much to do with the anxiety which Armand's silence caused me。 Since M。 Duval did not return to see me； I decided to go and see him。 A pretext was not difficult to find； unluckily I did not know his address； and no one among those whom I questioned could give it to me。
I went to the Rue d'Antin； perhaps Marguerite's porter would know where Armand lived。 There was a new porter； he knew as little about it as I。 I then asked in what cemetery Mlle。 Gautier had been buried。 It was the Montmartre Cemetery。 It was now the month of April； the weather was fine； the graves were not likely to look as sad and desolate as they do in winter； in short； it was warm enough for the living to think a little of the dead； and pay them a visit。 I went to the cemetery； saying to myself： 〃One glance at Marguerite's grave； and I shall know if Armand's sorrow still exists； and perhaps I may find out what has become of him。〃
I entered the keeper's lodge； and asked him if on the 22nd of February a woman named Marguerite Gautier had not been buried in the Montmartre Cemetery。 He turned over the pages of a big book in which those who enter this last resting…place are inscribed and numbered； and replied that on the 22nd of February； at 12 o'clock； a woman of that name had been buried。
I asked him to show me the grave； for there is no finding one's way without a guide in this city of the dead； which has its streets like a city of the living。 The keeper called over a gardener； to whom he gave the necessary instructions； the gardener interrupted him； saying： 〃I know； I know。It is not difficult to find that grave；〃 he added； turning to me。
〃Why？〃
〃Because it has very different flowers from the others。〃
〃Is it you who look after it？〃
〃Yes； sir； and I wish all relations took as much trouble about the dead as the young man who gave me my orders。〃
After several turnings； the gardener stopped and said to me： 〃Here we are。〃
I saw before me a square of flowe