,,christ ,,in ,,flanders   ,by ,honore  
,de ,balzac    ,translated by ,ellen    
,marriage                               
,,dedication    ,to ,marcelline         
,desbordes-,valmore1 a daughter of      
,flanders1 of whom   these modern days  
may well be proud1 ,i dedicate this     
quaint legend   of old ,flanders4       
,,de ,,balzac4      ,,christ ,,in       
,,flanders   ,at a dimly remote period  
in the history of ,brabant1             
communication between the ,island of    
,cadzand and the ,flemish coast was kept
 up by a boat which carried passengers  
from one shore to the other4            
,middelburg1 the chief town in the      
island1 destined to become so famous in 
the annals of ,protestantism1 at that   
time only numbered some two or three    
hundred hearths2 and the prosperous town
 of ,ostend was an obscure haven1 a     
straggling village where pirates dwelt  
in security among the fishermen and the 
few poor merchants who lived in the     
place4  ,but though the town of ,ostend 

consisted altogether of some score of   
houses and three hundred cottages1 huts 
or hovels built of the driftwood of     
wrecked vessels1 it nevertheless        
rejoiced in the possession of a         
governor1 a garrison1 a forked gibbet1 a
 convent1 and a burgomaster1 in short1  
in all the institutions of an advanced  
civilization4  ,who reigned over        
,brabant and ,flanders in those days8   
,on this point tradition is mute4 ,let  
us confess at once that this tale savors
 strongly of the marvelous1 the         
mysterious1 and the vague2 elements     
which ,flemish narrators have infused   
into a story retailed so often to       
gatherings of workers on winter         
evenings1 that the details vary widely  
in poetic merit and incongruity of      
detail4 ,it has been told by every      
generation1 handed down by grandames at 
the fireside1 narrated night and day1   
and the chronicle has changed its       
complexion somewhat in every age4 ,like 
some great building that has suffered   

many modifications of successive        
generations of architects1 some sombre  
weather-beaten pile1 the delight of a   
poet1 the story would drive the         
commentator and the industrious winnower
 of words1 facts1 and dates to despair4 
,the narrator believes in it1 as all    
superstitious minds in ,flanders        
likewise believe2 and is not a whit     
wiser nor more credulous than his       
audience4 ,but as it would be impossible
 to make a harmony of all the different 
renderings1 here are the outlines of the
 story2 stripped1 it may be1 of its     
picturesque quaintness1 but with all its
 bold disregard of historical truth1 and
 its moral teachings approved by        
religion--a myth1 the blossom of        
imaginative fancy2 an allegory that the 
wise may interpret to suit themselves4  
,to each his own pasturage1 and the task
 of separating the tares from the wheat4
    ,the boat that served to carry      
passengers from the ,island of ,cadzand 
to ,ostend was upon the point of        

departure2 but before the skipper loosed
 the chain that secured the shallop to  
the little jetty1 where people embarked1
 he blew a horn several times1 to warn  
late lingerers1 this being his last     
journey that day4 ,night was falling4   
,it was scarcely possible to see the    
coast of ,flanders by the dying fires of
 the sunset1 or to make out upon the    
hither shore any forms of belated       
passengers hurrying along the wall of   
the dykes that surrounded the open      
country1 or among the tall reeds of the 
marshes4 ,the boat was full4  ,what are 
you waiting for8 ,let us put off6 they  
cried4  ,just at that moment a man      
appeared a few paces from the jetty1 to 
the surprise of the skipper1 who had    
heard no sound of footsteps4 ,the       
traveler seemed to have sprung up from  
the earth1 like a peasant who had laid  
himself down on the ground to wait till 
the boat should start1 and had slept    
till the sound of the horn awakened him4
 ,was he a thief8 or some one belonging 

to the custom-house or the police8  ,as 
soon as the man appeared on the jetty to
 which the boat was moored1 seven       
persons who were standing in the stern  
of the shallop hastened to sit down on  
the benches1 so as to leave no room for 
the newcomer4 ,it was the swift and     
instinctive working of the aristocratic 
spirit1 an impulse of exclusiveness that
 comes from the rich man's heart4 ,four 
of the seven personages belonged to the 
most aristocratic families in ,flanders4
 ,first among them was a young knight   
with two beautiful greyhounds2 his long 
hair flowed from beneath a jeweled cap2 
he clanked his gilded spurs1 curled the 
ends of his moustache from time to time 
with a swaggering grace1 and looked     
round disdainfully on the rest of the   
crew4 ,a high-born damsel1 with a falcon
 on her wrist1 only spoke with her      
mother or with a churchman of high rank1
 who was evidently a relation4 ,all     
these persons made a great deal of      
noise1 and talked among themselves as   

though there were no one else in the    
boat2 yet close beside them sat a man of
 great importance in the district1 a    
stout burgher of ,bruges1 wrapped about 
with a vast cloak4 ,his servant1 armed  
to the teeth1 had set down a couple of  
bags filled with gold at his side4 ,next
 to the burgher came a man of learning1 
a doctor of the ,university of ,louvain1
 who was traveling with his clerk4 ,this
 little group of folk1 who looked       
contemptuously at each other1 was       
separated from the passengers in the    
forward part of the boat by the bench of
 rowers4  ,the belated traveler glanced 
about him as he stepped on board1 saw   
that there was no room for him in the   
stern1 and went to the bows in quest of 
a seat4 ,they were all poor people      
there4 ,at first sight of the bareheaded
 man in the brown camlet coat and       
trunk-hose1 and plain stiff linen       
collar1 they noticed that he wore no    
ornaments1 carried no cap nor bonnet in 
his hand1 and had neither sword nor     

purse at his girdle1 and one and all    
took him for a burgomaster sure of his  
authority1 a worthy and kindly          
burgomaster like so many a ,fleming of  
old times1 whose homely features and    
characters have been immortalized by    
,flemish painters4 ,the poorer          
passengers1 therefore1 received him with
 demonstrations of respect that provoked
 scornful tittering at the other end of 
the boat4 ,an old soldier1 inured to    
toil and hardship1 gave up his place on 
the bench to the newcomer1 and seated   
himself on the edge of the vessel1      
keeping his balance by planting his feet
 against one of those traverse beams1   
like the backbone of a fish1 that hold  
the planks of a boat together4 ,a young 
mother1 who bore her baby in her arms1  
and seemed to belong to the working     
class in ,ostend1 moved aside to make   
room for the stranger4 ,there was       
neither servility nor scorn in her      
manner of doing this2 it was a simple   
sign of the goodwill by which the poor1 

who know by long experience the value of
 a service and the warmth that          
fellowship brings1 give expression to   
the open-heartedness and the natural    
impulses of their souls2 so artlessly do
 they reveal their good qualities and   
their defects4 ,the stranger thanked her
 by a gesture full of gracious dignity1 
and took his place between the young    
mother and the old soldier4 ,immediately
 behind him sat a peasant and his son1 a
 boy ten years of age4 ,a beggar woman1 
old1 wrinkled1 and clad in rags1 was    
crouching1 with her almost empty wallet1
 on a great coil of rope that lay in the
 prow4 ,one of the rowers1 an old       
sailor1 who had known her in the days of
 her beauty and prosperity1 had let her 
come in for the love of ,god1 in the    
beautiful phrase that the common people 
use4  ,thank you kindly1 ,thomas1 the   
old woman had said4 ,i will say two     
,paters and two ,aves for you in my     
prayers to-night4  ,the skipper blew his
 horn for the last time1 looked along   

the silent shore1 flung off the chain1  
ran along the side of the boat1 and took
 up his position at the helm4 ,he looked
 at the sky1 and as soon as they were   
out in the open sea1 he shouted to the  
men3 ,pull away1 pull with all your     
might6 ,the sea is smiling at a squall1 
the witch6 ,i can feel the swell by the 
way the rudder works1 and the storm in  
my wounds4  ,the nautical phrases1      
unintelligible to ears unused to the    
sound of the sea1 seemed to put fresh   
energy into the oars2 they kept time    
together1 the rhythm of the movement was
 still even and steady1 but quite unlike
 the previous manner of rowing2 it was  
as if a cantering horse had broken into 
a gallop4 ,the gay company seated in the
 stern amused themselves by watching the
 brawny arms1 the tanned faces1 and     
sparkling eyes of the rowers1 the play  
of the tense muscles1 the physical and  
mental forces that were being exerted to
 bring them for a trifling toll across  
the channel4 ,so far from pitying the   

rowers' distress1 they pointed out the  
men's faces to each other1 and laughed  
at the grotesque expressions on the     
faces of the crew who were straining    
every muscle2 but in the fore part of   
the boat the soldier1 the peasant1 and  
the old beggar woman watched the sailors
 with the sympathy naturally felt by    
toilers who live by the sweat of their  
brow and know the rough struggle1 the   
strenuous excitement of effort4 ,these  
folk1 moreover1 whose lives were spent  
in the open air1 had all seen the       
warnings of danger in the sky1 and their
 faces were grave4 ,the young mother    
rocked her child1 singing an old hymn of
 the ,church for a lullaby4  ,if we ever
 get there at all1 the soldier remarked 
to the peasant1 it will be because the  
,almighty is bent on keeping us alive4  
,ah6 ,he is the ,master1 said the old   
woman1 but ,i think it will be ,his good
 pleasure to take us to ,himself4 ,just 
look at that light down there444 and she
 nodded her head as she spoke towards   

the sunset4  ,streaks of fiery red      
glared from behind the masses of        
crimson-flushed brown cloud that seemed 
about to unloose a furious gale4 ,there 
was a smothered murmur of the sea1 a    
moaning sound that seemed to come from  
the depths1 a low warning growl1 such as
 a dog gives when he only means mischief
 as yet4 ,after all1 ,ostend was not far
 away4 ,perhaps painting1 like poetry1  
could not prolong the existence of the  
picture presented by sea and sky at that
 moment beyond the time of its actual   
duration4 ,art demands vehement         
contrasts1 wherefore artists usually    
seek out ,nature's most striking        
effects1 doubtless because they despair 
of rendering the great and glorious     
charm of her daily moods2 yet the human 
soul is often stirred as deeply by her  
calm as by her emotion1 and by silence  
as by storm4  ,for a moment no one spoke
 on board the boat4 ,every one watched  
that sea and sky1 either with some      
presentiment of danger1 or because they 

felt the influence of the religious     
melancholy that takes possession of     
nearly all of us at the close of the    
day1 the hour of prayer1 when all nature
 is hushed save for the voices of the   
bells4 ,the sea gleamed pale and wan1   
but its hues changed1 and the surface   
took all the colors of steel4 ,the sky  
was almost overspread with livid gray1  
but down in the west there were long    
narrow bars like streaks of blood2 while
 lines of bright light in the eastern   
sky1 sharp and clean as if drawn by the 
tip of a brush1 were separated by folds 
of cloud1 like the wrinkles on an old   
man's brow4 ,the whole scene made a     
background of ashen grays and           
half-tints1 in strong contrast to the   
bale-fires of the sunset4 ,if written   
language might borrow of spoken language
 some of the bold figures of speech     
invented by the people1 it might be said
 with the soldier that the weather has  
been routed1 or1 as the peasant would   
say1 the sky glowered like an           

executioner4 ,suddenly a wind arose from
 the quarter of the sunset1 and the     
skipper1 who never took his eyes off the
 sea1 saw the swell on the horizon line1
 and cried3  ,stop rowing6  ,the sailors
 stopped immediately1 and let their oars
 lie on the water4  ,the skipper is     
right1 said ,thomas coolly4 ,a great    
wave caught up the boat1 carried it high
 on its crest1 only to plunge it1 as it 
were1 into the trough of the sea that   
seemed to yawn for them4 ,at this mighty
 upheaval1 this sudden outbreak of the  
wrath of the sea1 the company in the    
stern turned pale1 and sent up a        
terrible cry4  ,we are lost6  ,oh1 not  
yet6 said the skipper calmly4  ,as he   
spoke1 the clouds immediately above     
their heads were torn asunder by the    
vehemence of the wind4 ,the gray mass   
was rent and scattered east and west    
with ominous speed1 a dim uncertain     
light from the rift in the sky fell full
 upon the boat1 and the travelers beheld
 each other's faces4 ,all of them1 the  

noble and the wealthy1 the sailors and  
the poor passengers alike1 were amazed  
for a moment by the appearance of the   
last comer4 ,his golden hair1 parted    
upon his calm1 serene forehead1 fell in 
thick curls about his shoulders2 and his
 face1 sublime in its sweetness and     
radiant with divine love1 stood out     
against the surrounding gloom4 ,he had  
no contempt for death2 he knew that he  
should not die4 ,but if at the first the
 company in the stern forgot for a      
moment the implacable fury of the storm 
that threatened their lives1 selfishness
 and their habits of life soon prevailed
 again4  ,how lucky that stupid         
burgomaster is1 not to see the risks we 
are all running6 ,he is just like a dog1
 he will die without a struggle1 said   
the doctor4  ,he had scarcely pronounced
 this highly judicious dictum when the  
storm unloosed all its legions4 ,the    
wind blew from every quarter of the     
heavens1 the boat span round like a top1
 and the sea broke in4  ,oh6 my poor    

child6 my poor child6444 ,who will save 
my baby8 the mother cried in a          
heart-rending voice4  ,you yourself will
 save it1 the stranger said4  ,the      
thrilling tones of that voice went to   
the young mother's heart and brought    
hope with them2 she heard the gracious  
words through all the whistling of the  
wind and the shrieks of the passengers4 
,holy ,virgin of ,good ,help1 who art at
 ,antwerp1 ,i promise thee a thousand   
pounds of wax and a statue1 if thou wilt
 rescue me from this6 cried the burgher1
 kneeling upon his bags of gold4  ,the  
,virgin is no more at ,antwerp than she 
is here1 was the doctor's comment on    
this appeal4  ,she is in heaven1 said a 
voice that seemed to come from the sea4 
,who said that8  ',tis the devil6       
exclaimed the servant4 ,he is scoffing  
at the ,virgin of ,antwerp4  ,let us    
have no more of your ,holy ,virgin at   
present1 the skipper cried to the       
passengers4 ,put your hands to the      
scoops and bail the water out of the    

boat4--,and the rest of you1 he went on1
 addressing the sailors1 pull with all  
your might6 ,now is the time2 in the    
name of the devil who is leaving you in 
this world1 be your own ,providence6    
,every one knows that the channel is    
fearfully dangerous2 ,i have been to and
 fro across it these thirty years4 ,am  
,i facing a storm for the first time    
to-night8  ,he stood at the helm1 and   
looked1 as before1 at his boat and at   
the sea and sky in turn4  ,the skipper  
always laughs at everything1 muttered   
,thomas4  ,will ,god leave us to perish 
along with those wretched creatures8    
asked the haughty damsel of the handsome
 cavalier4  ,no1 no1 noble maiden4444   
,listen6 and he caught her by the waist 
and said in her ear1 ,i can swim1 say   
nothing about it6 ,i will hold you by   
your fair hair and bring you safely to  
the shore2 but ,i can only save you4    
,the girl looked at her aged mother4    
,the lady was on her knees entreating   
absolution of the ,bishop1 who did not  

heed her4 ,in the beautiful eyes the    
knight read a vague feeling of filial   
piety1 and spoke in a smothered voice4  
,submit yourself to the will of ,god4   
,if it is ,his pleasure to take your    
mother to ,himself1 it will doubtless be
 for her happiness--in another world1 he
 added1 and his voice dropped still     
lower4 ,and for ours in this1 he thought
 within himself4  ,the ,dame of         
,rupelmonde was lady of seven fiefs     
beside the barony of ,gavres4  ,the girl
 felt the longing for life in her heart1
 and for love that spoke through the    
handsome adventurer1 a young miscreant  
who haunted churches in search of a     
prize1 an heiress to marry1 or ready    
money4 ,the ,bishop bestowed his benison
 on the waves1 and bade them be calm2 it
 was all that he could do4 ,he thought  
of his concubine1 and of the delicate   
feast with which she would welcome him2 
perhaps at that very moment she was     
bathing1 perfuming herself1 robing      
herself in velvet1 fastening her        

necklace and her jeweled clasps2 and the
 perverse ,bishop1 so far from thinking 
of the power of ,holy ,church1 of his   
duty to comfort ,christians and exhort  
them to trust in ,god1 mingled worldly  
regrets and lover's sighs with the holy 
words of the breviary4 ,by the dim light
 that shone on the pale faces of the    
company1 it was possible to see their   
differing expressions as the boat was   
lifted high in air by a wave1 to be cast
 back into the dark depths2 the shallop 
quivered like a fragile leaf1 the       
plaything of the north wind in the      
autumn2 the hull creaked1 it seemed     
ready to go to pieces4 ,fearful shrieks 
went up1 followed by an awful silence4  
,there was a strange difference between 
the behavior of the folk in the bows and
 that of the rich or great people at the
 other end of the boat4 ,the young      
mother clasped her infant tightly to her
 breast every time that a great wave    
threatened to engulf the fragile vessel2
 but she clung to the hope that the     

stranger's words had set in her heart4  
,each time that the eyes turned to his  
face she drew fresh faith at the sight1 
the strong faith of a helpless woman1 a 
mother's faith4 ,she lived by that      
divine promise1 the loving words from   
his lips2 the simple creature waited    
trustingly for them to be fulfilled1 and
 scarcely feared the danger any longer4 
,the soldier1 holding fast to the       
vessel's side1 never took his eyes off  
the strange visitor4 ,he copied on his  
own rough and swarthy features the      
imperturbability of the other's face1   
applying to this task the whole strength
 of a will and intelligence but little  
corrupted in the course of a life of    
mechanical and passive obedience4 ,so   
emulous was he of a calm and tranquil   
courage greater than his own1 that at   
last1 perhaps unconsciously1 something  
of that mysterious nature passed into   
his own soul4 ,his admiration became an 
instinctive zeal for this man1 a        
boundless love for and belief in him1   

such a love as soldiers feel for their  
leader when he has the power of swaying 
other men1 when the halo of victories   
surrounds him1 and the magical          
fascination of genius is felt in all    
that he does4 ,the poor outcast was     
murmuring to herself3  ,ah6 miserable   
wretch that ,i am6 ,have ,i not suffered
 enough to expiate the sins of my youth8
 ,ah6 wretched woman1 why did you lead  
the gay life of a frivolous             
,frenchwoman8 why did you devour the    
goods of ,god with churchmen1 the       
substance of the poor with extortioners 
and fleecers of the poor8 ,oh6 ,i have  
sinned indeed6--,oh my ,god6 my ,god6   
let me finish my time in hell here in   
this world of misery4  ,and again she   
cried1 ,holy ,virgin1 ,mother of ,god1  
have pity upon me6  ,be comforted1      
mother4 ,god is not a ,lombard usurer4  
,i may have killed people good and bad  
at random in my time1 but ,i am not     
afraid of the resurrection4  ,ah6 master
 ,lancepesade1 how happy those fair     

ladies are1 to be so near to a bishop1 a
 holy man6 ,they will get absolution for
 their sins1 said the old woman4 ,oh6 if
 ,i could only hear a priest say to me1 
',thy sins are forgiven6' ,i should     
believe it then4  ,the stranger turned  
towards her1 and the goodness in his    
face made her tremble4  ,have faith1 he 
said1 and you will be saved4  ,may ,god 
reward you1 good sir1 she answered4 ,if 
what you say is true1 ,i will go on     
pilgrimage barefooted to ,our ,lady of  
,loretto to pray to her for you and for 
me4  ,the two peasants1 father and son1 
were silent1 patient1 and submissive to 
the will of ,god1 like folk whose wont  
it is to fall in instinctively with the 
ways of ,nature like cattle4 ,at the one
 end of the boat stood riches1 pride1   
learning1 debauchery1 and crime--human  
society1 such as art and thought and    
education and worldly interests and laws
 have made it2 and at this end there was
 terror and wailing1 innumerable        
different impulses all repressed by     

hideous doubts--at this end1 and at this
 only1 the agony of fear4  ,above all   
these human lives stood a strong man1   
the skipper2 no doubts assailed him1 the
 chief1 the king1 the fatalist among    
them4 ,he was trusting in himself rather
 than in ,providence1 crying1 ,bail     
away6 instead of ,holy ,virgin1 defying 
the storm1 in fact1 and struggling with 
the sea like a wrestler4  ,but the      
helpless poor at the other end of the   
wherry6 ,the mother rocking on her bosom
 the little one who smiled at the storm2
 the woman once so frivolous and gay1   
and now tormented with bitter remorse2  
the old soldier covered with scars1 a   
mutilated life the sole reward of his   
unflagging loyalty and faithfulness4    
,this veteran could scarcely count on   
the morsel of bread soaked in tears to  
keep the life in him1 yet he was always 
ready to laugh1 and went his way        
merrily1 happy when he could drown his  
glory in the depths of a pot of beer1 or
 could tell tales of the wars to the    

children who admired him1 leaving his   
future with a light heart in the hands  
of ,god4 ,lastly1 there were the two    
peasants1 used to hardships and toil1   
labor incarnate1 the labor by which the 
world lives4 ,these simple folk were    
indifferent to thought and its          
treasures1 ready to sink them all in a  
belief2 and their faith was but so much 
the more vigorous because they had never
 disputed about it nor analyzed it4     
,such a nature is a virgin soil1        
conscience has not been tampered with1  
feeling is deep and strong2 repentance1 
trouble1 love1 and work have developed1 
purified1 concentrated1 and increased   
their force of will a hundred times1 the
 will--the one thing in man that        
resembles what learned doctors call the 
,soul4  ,the boat1 guided by the        
well-nigh miraculous skill of the       
steersman1 came almost within sight of  
,ostend1 when1 not fifty paces from the 
shore1 she was suddenly struck by a     
heavy sea and capsized4 ,the stranger   

with the light about his head spoke to  
this little world of drowning creatures3
  ,those who have faith shall be saved2 
let them follow me6  ,he stood upright1 
and walked with a firm step upon the    
waves4 ,the young mother at once took   
her child in her arms1 and followed at  
his side across the sea4 ,the soldier   
too sprang up1 saying in his homely     
fashion1 ,ah6 nom d'un pipe6 ,i would   
follow you to the devil2 and without    
seeming astonished by it1 he walked on  
the water4 ,the worn-out sinner1        
believing in the omnipotence of ,god1   
also followed the stranger4  ,the two   
peasants said to each other1 ,if they   
are walking on the sea1 why should we   
not do as they do8 and they also arose  
and hastened after the others4 ,thomas  
tried to follow1 but his faith tottered2
 he sank in the sea more than once1 and 
rose again1 but the third time he also  
walked on the sea4 ,the bold steersman  
clung like a remora to the wreck of his 
boat4 ,the miser had had faith1 and had 

risen to go1 but he tried to take his   
gold with him1 and it was his gold that 
dragged him down to the bottom4 ,the    
learned man had scoffed at the charlatan
 and at the fools who listened to him2  
and when he heard the mysterious        
stranger propose to the passengers that 
they should walk on the waves1 he began 
to laugh1 and the ocean swallowed him4  
,the girl was dragged down into the     
depths by her lover4 ,the ,bishop and   
the older lady went to the bottom1      
heavily laden with sins1 it may be1 but 
still more heavily laden with           
incredulity and confidence in idols1    
weighted down by devotion1 into which   
alms-deeds and true religion entered but
 little4  ,the faithful flock1 who      
walked with a firm step high and dry    
above the surge1 heard all about them   
the dreadful whistling of the blast2    
great billows broke across their path1  
but an irresistible force cleft a way   
for them through the sea4 ,these        
believing ones saw through the spray a  

dim speck of light flickering in the    
window of a fisherman's hut on the      
shore1 and each one1 as he pushed on    
bravely towards the light1 seemed to    
hear the voice of his fellow crying1    
,courage6 through all the roaring of the
 surf2 yet no one had spoken a word--so 
absorbed was each by his own peril4 ,in 
this way they reached the shore4  ,when 
they were all seated near the           
fisherman's fire1 they looked round in  
vain for their guide with the light     
about him4 ,the sea washed up the       
steersman at the base of the cliff on   
which the cottage stood2 he was clinging
 with might and main to the plank as a  
sailor can cling when death stares him  
in the face2 the ,,man went down and    
rescued the almost exhausted seaman2    
then he said1 as he held out a succoring
 hand above the man's head3  ,good1 for 
this once2 but do not try it again2 the 
example would be too bad4  ,he took the 
skipper on his shoulders1 and carried   
him to the fisherman's door2 knocked for

 admittance for the exhausted man2 then1
 when the door of the humble refuge     
opened1 the ,saviour disappeared4  ,the 
,convent of ,mercy was built for sailors
 on this spot1 where for long afterwards
 7so it was said7 the footprints of     
,jesus ,christ could be seen in the     
sand2 but in #agic1 at the time of the  
,french invasion1 the monks carried away
 this precious relic1 that bore witness 
to the ,saviour's last visit to earth4  
,there at the convent ,i found myself   
shortly after the ,revolution of #ahcj4 
,i was weary of life4 ,if you had asked 
me the reason of my despair1 ,i should  
have found it almost impossible to give 
it1 so languid had grown the soul that  
was melted within me4 ,the west wind had
 slackened the springs of my            
intelligence4 ,a cold gray light poured 
down from the heavens1 and the murky    
clouds that passed overhead gave a      
boding look to the land2 all these      
things1 together with the immensity of  
the sea1 said to me1 ,die to-day or die 

to-morrow1 still must we not die8 ,and  
then--,i wandered on1 musing on the     
doubtful future1 on my blighted hopes4  
,gnawed by these gloomy thoughts1 ,i    
turned mechanically into the convent    
church1 with the gray towers that loomed
 like ghosts though the sea mists4 ,i   
looked round with no kindling of the    
imagination at the forest of columns1 at
 the slender arches set aloft upon the  
leafy capitals1 a delicate labyrinth of 
sculpture4 ,i walked with careless eyes 
along the side aisles that opened out   
before me like vast portals1 ever       
turning upon their hinges4 ,it was      
scarcely possible to see1 by the dim    
light of the autumn day1 the sculptured 
groinings of the roof1 the delicate and 
clean-cut lines of the mouldings of the 
graceful pointed arches4 ,the organ     
pipes were mute4 ,there was no sound    
save the noise of my own footsteps to   
awaken the mournful echoes lurking in   
the dark chapels4 ,i sat down at the    
base of one of the four pillars that    

supported the tower1 near the choir4    
,thence ,i could see the whole of the   
building4 ,i gazed1 and no ideas        
connected with it arose in my mind4 ,i  
saw without seeing the mighty maze of   
pillars1 the great rose windows that    
hung like a network suspended as by a   
miracle in air above the vast doorways4 
,i saw the doors at the end of the side 
aisles1 the aerial galleries1 the       
stained glass windows framed in         
archways1 divided by slender columns1   
fretted into flower forms and trefoil by
 fine filigree work of carved stone4 ,a 
dome of glass at the end of the choir   
sparkled as if it had been built of     
precious stones set cunningly4 ,in      
contrast to the roof with its           
alternating spaces of whiteness and     
color1 the two aisles lay to right and  
left in shadow so deep that the faint   
gray outlines of their hundred shafts   
were scarcely visible in the gloom4 ,i  
gazed at the marvelous arcades1 the     
scroll-work1 the garlands1 the curving  

lines1 and arabesques interwoven and    
interlaced1 and strangely lighted1 until
 by sheer dint of gazing my perceptions 
became confused1 and ,i stood upon the  
borderland between illusion and reality1
 taken in the snare set for the eyes1   
and almost light-headed by reason of the
 multitudinous changes of the shapes    
about me4  ,imperceptibly a mist        
gathered about the carven stonework1 and
 ,i only beheld it through a haze of    
fine golden dust1 like the motes that   
hover in the bars of sunlight slanting  
through the air of a chamber4 ,suddenly 
the stone lacework of the rose windows  
gleamed through this vapor that had made
 all forms so shadowy4 ,every moulding1 
the edges of every carving1 the least   
detail of the sculpture was dipped in   
silver4 ,the sunlight kindled fires in  
the stained windows1 their rich colors  
sent out glowing sparks of light4 ,the  
shafts began to tremble1 the capitals   
were gently shaken4 ,a light shudder as 
of delight ran through the building1 the

 stones were loosened in their setting1 
the wall-spaces swayed with graceful    
caution4 ,here and there a ponderous    
pier moved as solemnly as a dowager when
 she condescends to complete a quadrille
 at the close of a ball4 ,a few slender 
and graceful columns1 their heads       
adorned with wreaths of trefoil1 began  
to laugh and dance here and there4 ,some
 of the pointed arches dashed at the    
tall lancet windows1 who1 like ladies of
 the ,middle ,ages1 wore the armorial   
bearings of their houses emblazoned on  
their golden robes4 ,the dance of the   
mitred arcades with the slender windows 
became like a fray at a tourney4  ,in   
another moment every stone in the church
 vibrated1 without leaving its place2   
for the organ-pipes spoke1 and ,i heard 
divine music mingling with the songs of 
angels1 and unearthly harmony1          
accompanied by the deep notes of the    
bells1 that boomed as the giant towers  
rocked and swayed on their square bases4
 ,this strange ,sabbath seemed to me the

 most natural thing in the world2 and   
,i1 who had seen ,charles ,x4 hurled    
from his throne1 was no longer amazed by
 anything4 ,nay1 ,i myself was gently   
swaying with a see-saw movement that    
influenced my nerves pleasurably in a   
manner of which it is impossible to give
 any idea4 ,yet in the midst of this    
heated riot1 the cathedral choir felt   
cold as if it were a winter day1 and ,i 
became aware of a multitude of women1   
robed in white1 silent1 and impassive1  
sitting there4 ,the sweet incense smoke 
that arose from the censers was grateful
 to my soul4 ,the tall wax candles      
flickered4 ,the lectern1 gay as a       
chanter undone by the treachery of wine1
 was skipping about like a peal of      
,chinese bells4  ,then ,i knew that the 
whole cathedral was whirling round so   
fast that everything appeared to be     
undisturbed4 ,the colossal ,figure on   
the crucifix above the altar smiled upon
 me with a mingled malice and           
benevolence that frightened me2 ,i      

turned my eyes away1 and marveled at the
 bluish vapor that slid across the      
pillars1 lending to them an             
indescribable charm4 ,then some graceful
 women's forms began to stir on the     
friezes4 ,the cherubs who upheld the    
heavy columns shook out their wings4 ,i 
felt myself uplifted by some divine     
power that steeped me in infinite joy1  
in a sweet and languid rapture4 ,i would
 have given my life1 ,i think1 to have  
prolonged these phantasmagoria for a    
little1 but suddenly a shrill voice     
clamored in my ears3  ,awake and follow 
me6  ,a withered woman took my hand in  
hers2 its icy coldness crept through    
every nerve4 ,the bones of her face     
showed plainly through the sallow1      
almost olive-tinted wrinkles of the     
skin4 ,the shrunken1 ice-cold old woman 
wore a black robe1 which she trailed in 
the dust1 and at her throat there was   
something white1 which ,i dared not     
examine4 ,i could scarcely see her wan  
and colorless eyes1 for they were fixed 

in a stare upon the heavens4 ,she drew  
me after her along the aisles1 leaving a
 trace of her presence in the ashes that
 she shook from her dress4 ,her bones   
rattled as she walked1 like the bones of
 a skeleton2 and as we went ,i heard    
behind me the tinkling of a little bell1
 a thin1 sharp sound that rang through  
my head like the notes of a harmonica4  
,suffer6 she cried1 suffer6 ,so it must 
be6  ,we came out of the church2 we went
 through the dirtiest streets of the    
town1 till we came at last to a dingy   
dwelling1 and she bade me enter in4 ,she
 dragged me with her1 calling to me in a
 harsh1 tuneless voice like a cracked   
bell3  ,defend me6 defend me6  ,together
 we went up a winding staircase4 ,she   
knocked at a door in the darkness1 and a
 mute1 like some familiar of the        
,inquisition1 opened to her4 ,in another
 moment we stood in a room hung with    
ancient1 ragged tapestry1 amid piles of 
old linen1 crumpled muslin1 and gilded  
brass4  ,behold the wealth that shall   

endure for ever6 said she4  ,i shuddered
 with horror2 for just then1 by the     
light of a tall torch and two altar     
candles1 ,i saw distinctly that this    
woman was fresh from the graveyard4 ,she
 had no hair4 ,i turned to fly4 ,she    
raised her fleshless arm and encircled  
me with a band of iron set with spikes1 
and as she raised it a cry went up all  
about us1 the cry of millions of        
voices--the shouting of the dead6  ,it  
is my purpose to make thee happy for    
ever1 she said4 ,thou art my son4  ,we  
were sitting before the hearth1 the     
ashes lay cold upon it2 the old shrunken
 woman grasped my hand so tightly in    
hers that ,i could not choose but stay4 
,i looked fixedly at her1 striving to   
read the story of her life from the     
things among which she was crouching4   
,had she indeed any life in her8 ,it was
 a mystery4 ,yet ,i saw plainly that    
once she must have been young and       
beautiful2 fair1 with all the charm of  
simplicity1 perfect as some ,greek      

statue1 with the brow of a vestal4  ,ah6
 ah6 ,i cried1 now ,i know thee6        
,miserable woman1 why hast thou         
prostituted thyself8 ,in the age of thy 
passions1 in the time of thy prosperity1
 the grace and purity of thy youth were 
forgotten4 ,forgetful of thy heroic     
devotion1 thy pure life1 thy abundant   
faith1 thou didst resign thy primitive  
power and thy spiritual supremacy for   
fleshly power4 ,thy linen vestments1 thy
 couch of moss1 the cell in the rock1   
bright with rays of the ,light ,divine1 
was forsaken2 thou hast sparkled with   
diamonds1 and shone with the glitter of 
luxury and pride4 ,then1 grown bold and 
insolent1 seizing and overturning all   
things in thy course like a courtesan   
eager for pleasure in her days of       
splendor1 thou hast steeped thyself in  
blood like some queen stupefied by      
empery4 ,dost thou not remember to have 
been dull and heavy at times1 and the   
sudden marvelous lucidity of other      
moments2 as when ,art emerges from an   

orgy8 ,oh6 poet1 painter1 and singer1   
lover of splendid ceremonies and        
protector of the arts1 was thy          
friendship for art perchance a caprice1 
that so thou shouldst sleep beneath     
magnificent canopies8 ,was there not a  
day when1 in thy fantastic pride1 though
 chastity and humility were prescribed  
to thee1 thou hadst brought all things  
beneath thy feet1 and set thy foot on   
the necks of princes2 when earthly      
dominion1 and wealth1 and the mind of   
man bore thy yoke8 ,exulting in the     
abasement of humanity1 joying to witness
 the uttermost lengths to which man's   
folly would go1 thou hast bidden thy    
lovers walk on all fours1 and required  
of them their lands and wealth1 nay1    
even their wives if they were worth     
aught to thee4 ,thou hast devoured      
millions of men without a cause2 thou   
hast flung away lives like sand blown by
 the wind from ,west to ,east4 ,thou    
hast come down from the heights of      
thought to sit among the kings of men4  

,woman6 instead of comforting men1 thou 
hast tormented and afflicted them6      
,knowing that thou couldst ask and have1
 thou hast demanded--blood6 ,a little   
flour surely should have contented thee1
 accustomed as thou hast been to live on
 bread and to mingle water with thy     
wine4 ,unlike all others in all things1 
formerly thou wouldst bid thy lovers    
fast1 and they obeyed4 ,why should thy  
fancies have led thee to require things 
impossible8 ,why1 like a courtesan      
spoiled by her lovers1 hast thou doted  
on follies1 and left those undeceived   
who sought to explain and justify all   
thy errors8 ,then came the days of thy  
later passions1 terrible like the love  
of a woman of forty years1 with a fierce
 cry thou hast sought to clasp the whole
 universe in one last embrace--and thy  
universe recoiled from thee6  ,then old 
men succeeded to thy young lovers2      
decrepitude came to thy feet and made   
thee hideous4 ,yet1 even then1 men with 
the eagle power of vision said to thee  

in a glance1 ',thou shalt perish        
ingloriously1 because thou hast fallen  
away1 because thou hast broken the vows 
of thy maidenhood4 ,the angel with peace
 written on her forehead1 who should    
have shed light and joy along her path1 
has been a ,messalina1 delighting in the
 circus1 in debauchery1 and abuse of    
power4 ,the days of thy virginity cannot
 return2 henceforward thou shalt be     
subject to a master4 ,thy hour has come2
 the hand of death is upon thee4 ,thy   
heirs believe that thou art rich2 they  
will kill thee and find nothing4 ,yet   
try at least to fling away this raiment 
no longer in fashion2 be once more as in
 the days of old6--,nay1 thou art dead1 
and by thy own deed6'  ,is not this thy 
story8 so ,i ended4 ,decrepit1          
toothless1 shivering crone1 now         
forgotten1 going thy ways without so    
much as a glance from passers-by6 ,why  
art thou still alive8 ,what doest thou  
in that beggar's garb1 uncomely and     
desired of none8 ,where are thy         

riches8--for what were they spent8      
,where are thy treasures8--what great   
deeds hast thou done8  ,at this demand1 
the shriveled woman raised her bony     
form1 flung off her rags1 and grew tall 
and radiant1 smiling as she broke forth 
from the dark chrysalid sheath4 ,then   
like a butterfly1 this diaphanous       
creature emerged1 fair and youthful1    
clothed in white linen1 an ,indian from 
creation issuing her palms4 ,her golden 
hair rippled over her shoulders1 her    
eyes glowed1 a bright mist clung about  
her1 a ring of gold hovered above her   
head1 she shook the flaming blade of a  
sword towards the spaces of heaven4     
,see and believe6 she cried4  ,and      
suddenly ,i saw1 afar off1 many         
thousands of cathedrals like the one    
that ,i had just quitted2 but these were
 covered with pictures and with         
frescoes1 and ,i heard them echo with   
entrancing music4 ,myriads of human     
creatures flocked to these great        
buildings1 swarming about them like ants

 on an ant-heap4 ,some were eager to    
rescue books from oblivion or to copy   
manuscripts1 others were helping the    
poor1 but nearly all were studying4 ,up 
above this countless multitude rose     
giant statues that they had erected in  
their midst1 and by the gleams of a     
strange light from some luminary as     
powerful as the sun1 ,i read the        
inscriptions on the bases of the        
statues--,science1 ,history1            
,literature4  ,the light died out4      
,again ,i faced the young girl4         
,gradually she slipped into the dreary  
sheath1 into the ragged cere-cloths1 and
 became an aged woman again4 ,her       
familiar brought her a little dust1 and 
she stirred it into the ashes of her    
chafing-dish1 for the weather was cold  
and stormy2 and then he lighted for her1
 whose palaces had been lit with        
thousands of wax-tapers1 a little       
cresset1 that she might see to read her 
prayers through the hours of night4     
,there is no faith left in the earth6444

 she said4  ,in such a perilous plight  
did ,i behold the fairest and the       
greatest1 the truest and most           
life-giving of all ,powers4    ,wake up1
 sir1 the doors are just about to be    
shut1 said a hoarse voice4 ,i turned and
 beheld the beadle's ugly countenance2  
the man was shaking me by the arm1 and  
the cathedral lay wrapped in shadows as 
a man is wrapped in his cloak4  ,belief1
 ,i said to myself1 is ,life6 ,i have   
just witnessed the funeral of a         
monarchy1 now we must defend the church4
   ,,paris1 ,february #ahca4