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there were only a few ordinary looking people； whose plebeian origin was
apparent in their manners； their clothes； the cut of their hair and
beard； their hats； their complexion。 It was rarely that one saw from
time to time a man whom you suspected of having washed himself
thoroughly； and his whole make…up seemed to match。 As for the women；
they were always the same； those frightful women you all know； ugly；
tired looking； drooping； and walking along in their lackadaisical manner；
with that air of foolish superciliousness which they assume； I do not
know why。
I thought to myself that； in truth； not one of those languid creatures；
greasy rather than fat； puffed out here and thin there； with the contour
of a monk and the lower extremities of a bow…legged snipe； was worth the
louis that they would get with great difficulty after asking five。
But all at once I saw a little creature whom I thought attractive； not in
her first youth； but fresh； comical and tantalizing。 I stopped her； and
stupidly； without thinking； I made an appointment with her for that
night。 I did not want to go back to my own home alone； all alone；
I preferred the company and the caresses of this hussy。
And I followed her。 She lived in a great big house in the Rue des
Martyrs。 The gas was already extinguished on the stairway。 I ascended
the steps slowly； lighting a candle match every few seconds； stubbing my
foot against the steps； stumbling and angry as I followed the rustle of
the skirt ahead of me。
She stopped on the fourth floor； and having closed the outer door she
said：
〃Then you will stay till to…morrow？〃
〃Why； yes。 You know that that was the agreement。〃
〃All right； my dear； I just wanted to know。 Wait for me here a minute； I
will be right back。〃
And she left me in the darkness。 I heard her shutting two doors and then
I thought I heard her talking。 I was surprised and uneasy。 The thought
that she had a protector staggered me。 But I have good fists and a solid
back。 〃We shall see；〃 I said to myself。
I listened attentively with ear and mind。 Some one was stirring about；
walking quietly and very carefully。 Then another door was opened and I
thought I again heard some one talking； but in a very low tone。
She came back carrying a lighted candle。
〃You may come in；〃 she said。
She said 〃thou〃 in speaking to me； which was an indication of possession。
I went in and after passing through a dining room in which it was very
evident that no one ever ate； I entered a typical room of all these
women； a furnished room with red curtains and a soiled eiderdown bed
covering。
〃Make yourself at home； 'mon chat'；〃 she said。
I gave a suspicious glance at the room； but there seemed no reason for
uneasiness。
As she took off her wraps she began to laugh。
〃Well； what ails you？ Are you changed into a pillar of salt？ Come；
hurry up。〃
I did as she suggested。
Five minutes later I longed to put on my things and get away。 But this
terrible languor that had overcome me at home took possession of me
again； and deprived me of energy enough to move and I stayed in spite of
the disgust that I felt for this association。 The unusual attractiveness
that I supposed I had discovered in this creature over there under the
chandeliers of the theater had altogether vanished on closer
acquaintance； and she was nothing more to me now than a common woman；
like all the others； whose indifferent and complaisant kiss smacked of
garlic。
I thought I would say something。
〃Have you lived here long？〃 I asked。
〃Over six months on the fifteenth of January。〃
〃Where were you before that？〃
〃In the Rue Clauzel。 But the janitor made me very uncomfortable and I
left。〃
And she began to tell me an interminable story of a janitor who had
talked scandal about her。
But； suddenly； I heard something moving quite close to us。 First there
was a sigh； then a slight； but distinct； sound as if some one had turned
round on a chair。
I sat up abruptly and asked。
〃What was that noise？〃
She answered quietly and confidently：
〃Do not be uneasy； my dear boy； it is my neighbor。 The partition is so
thin that one can hear everything as if it were in the room。 These are
wretched rooms； just like pasteboard。〃
I felt so lazy that I paid no further attention to it。 We resumed our
conversation。 Driven by the stupid curiosity that prompts all men to
question these creatures about their first experiences； to attempt to
lift the veil of their first folly； as though to find in them a trace of
pristine innocence； to love them； possibly； in a fleeting memory of their
candor and modesty of former days； evoked by a word； I insistently asked
her about her earlier lovers。
I knew she was telling me lies。 What did it matter？ Among all these
lies I might； perhaps； discover something sincere and pathetic。
〃Come；〃 said I； 〃tell me who he was。〃
〃He was a boating man； my dear。〃
〃Ah！ Tell me about it。 Where were you？〃
〃I was at Argenteuil。〃
〃What were you doing？〃
〃I was waitress in a restaurant。〃
〃What restaurant？〃
〃'The Freshwater Sailor。' Do you know it？〃
〃I should say so； kept by Bonanfan。〃
〃Yes； that's it。〃
〃And how did he make love to you； this boating man？〃
〃While I was doing his room。 He took advantage of me。〃
But I suddenly recalled the theory of a friend of mine； an observant and
philosophical physician whom constant attendance in hospitals has brought
into daily contact with girl…mothers and prostitutes； with all the shame
and all the misery of women； of those poor women who have become the
frightful prey of the wandering male with money in his pocket。
〃A woman；〃 he said； 〃is always debauched by a man of her own class and
position。 I have volumes of statistics on that subject。 We accuse the
rich of plucking the flower of innocence among the girls of the people。
This is not correct。 The rich pay for what they want。 They may gather
some； but never for the first time。〃
Then； turning to my companion； I began to laugh。
〃You know that I am aware of your history。 The boating man was not the
first。〃
〃Oh； yes； my dear； I swear it：〃
〃You are lying； my dear。〃
〃Oh； no； I assure you。〃
〃You are lying； come； tell me all。〃
She seemed to hesitate in astonishment。 I continued：
〃I am a sorcerer； my dear girl； I am a clairvoyant。 If you do not tell
me the truth； I will go into a trance sleep and then I can find out。〃
She was afraid； being as stupid as all her kind。 She faltered：
〃How did you guess？〃
〃Come； go on telling me；〃 I said。
〃Oh； the first time didn't amount to anything。
There was a festival in the country。 They had sent for a special chef；
M。 Alexandre。 As soon as he came he did just as he pleased in the house。
He bossed every one； even the proprietor and his wife； as if he had been
a king。 He was a big handsome man； who did not seem fitted to stand
beside a kitchen range。 He was always calling out； 'Come； some butter…
some eggssome Madeira！' And it had to be brought to him at once in a
hurry； or he would get cross and say things that would make us blush all
over。
〃When the day was over he would smoke a pipe outside the door。 And as I
was passing by him with a pile of plates he said to me； like that： 'Come；
girlie； come down to the water with me and show me the country。' I went
with him like a fool； and we had hardly got down to the bank of the river
when he took advantage of me so suddenly that I did not even know what he
was doing。 And then he went away on the nine o'clock train。 I never saw
him again。〃
〃Is that all？〃 I asked。
She hesitated。
〃Oh； I think Florentin belongs to him。〃
〃Who is Florentin？〃
〃My little boy。〃
〃Oh！ Well； then； you made the boating man believe that he was the
father； did you not？〃
〃You bet！〃
〃Did he have any money； this boating man？〃
〃Yes； he left me an income of three hundred francs； settled on
Florentin。〃
I was beginning to be amused and resumed：
〃All right； my girl； all right。 You are all of you less stupid than one
would imagine； all the same。 And how old is he now； Florentin？〃
She replied：
〃He is now twelve。 He will make his first communion in the spring。〃
〃That is splendid。 And since then you have carried on your business
conscientiously？〃
She sighed in a resigned manner。
〃I must do what I can。〃
But a loud noise just then coming from the room itself made me start up
with a bound。 It sounded like some one falling and picking themselves up
again by feeling along the wall with their hands。
I had seized the candle and was looking about me； terrified and furious。
She had risen also and was trying to hold me back to stop me； murmuring：
〃That's nothing； my dear； I assure you it's nothing。〃
But I had discovered what direction the strange noise came from。 I
walked straight towards a door hidden at the head of the bed and I opened
it abruptly and saw before me； trembling； his bright； terrified eyes
opened wide at sight of me； a little pale； thin boy seated beside a large
wicker chair off which he had fallen。
As soon as he saw me he began to cry。 Stretching out his arms to his
mother