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followed； as in a funeral procession； by the victorious genius of England
robed in a gray ulster。
On the shingly beach the four bearers halted a few moments to take
breath； and then proceeded on their way。 They now walked quickly；
bending beneath the weight of their burden。 At length they reached the
funeral pile。 It was erected in an indentation； at the very foot of the
cliff； which rose above it perpendicularly a hundred meters high；
perfectly white but looking gray in the night。
The funeral pile was about three and a half feet high。 The corpse was
placed on it and then one of the Indians asked to have the pole star
pointed out to him。 This was done； and the dead Rajah was laid with his
feet turned towards his native country。 Then twelve bottles of kerosene
were poured over him and he was covered completely with thin slabs of
pine wood。 For almost another hour the relations and servants kept
piling up the funeral pyre which looked like one of those piles of wood
that carpenters keep in their yards。 Then on top of this was poured the
contents of twenty bottles of oil； and on top of all they emptied a bag
of fine shavings。 A few steps further on； a flame was glimmering in a
little bronze brazier； which had remained lighted since the arrival of
the corpse。
The moment had arrived。 The relations went to fetch the fire。 As it was
barely alight； some oil was poured on it； and suddenly a flame arose
lighting up the great wall of rock from summit to base。 An Indian who
was leaning over the brazier rose upright； his two hands in the air； his
elbows bent； and all at once we saw arising； all black on the immense
white cliff； a colossal shadow； the shadow of Buddha in his hieratic
posture。 And the little pointed toque that the man wore on his head even
looked like the head…dress of the god。
The effect was so striking and unexpected that I felt my heart beat as
though some supernatural apparition had risen up before me。
That was just what it wasthe ancient and sacred image； come from the
heart of the East to the ends of Europe； and watching over its son whom
they were going to cremate there。
It vanished。 They brought fire。 The shavings on top of the pyre were
lighted and then the wood caught fire and a brilliant light illumined the
cliff； the shingle and the foam of the waves as they broke on the beach。
It grew brighter from second to second； lighting up on the sea in the
distance the dancing crest of the waves。
The breeze from the ocean blew in gusts； increasing the heat of the flame
which flattened down； twisted； then shot up again； throwing out millions
of sparks。 They mounted with wild rapidity along the cliff and were lost
in the sky； mingling with the stars； increasing their number。 Some sea
birds who had awakened uttered their plaintive cry； and； describing long
curves； flew； with their white wings extended； through the gleam from the
funeral pyre and then disappeared in the night。
Before long the pile of wood was nothing but a mass of flame； not red but
yellow； a blinding yellow； a furnace lashed by the wind。 And； suddenly；
beneath a stronger gust； it tottered； partially crumbling as it leaned
towards the sea； and the corpse came to view； full length； blackened on
his couch of flame and burning with long blue flames：
The pile of wood having crumbled further on the right the corpse turned
over as a man does in bed。 They immediately covered him with fresh wood
and the fire started up again more furiously than ever。
The East Indians； seated in a semi…circle on the shingle； looked out with
sad； serious faces。 And the rest of us； as it was very cold； had drawn
nearer to the fire until the smoke and sparks came in our faces。 There
was no odor save that of burning pine and petroleum。
Hours passed； day began to break。 Toward five o'clock in the morning
nothing remained but a heap of ashes。 The relations gathered them up；
cast some of them to the winds； some in the sea； and kept some in a brass
vase that they had brought from India。 They then retired to their home
to give utterance to lamentations。
These young princes and their servants； by the employment of the most
inadequate appliances succeeded in carrying out the cremation of their
relation in the most perfect manner； with singular skill and remarkable
dignity。 Everything was done according to ritual； according to the rigid
ordinances of their religion。 Their dead one rests in peace。
The following morning at daybreak there was an indescribable commotion in
Etretat。 Some insisted that they had burned a man alive； others that
they were trying to hide a crime； some that the mayor would be put in
jail； others that the Indian prince had succumbed to an attack of
cholera。
The men were amazed； the women indignant。 A crowd of people spent the
day on the site of the funeral pile； looking for fragments of bone in the
shingle that was still warm。 They found enough bones to reconstruct ten
skeletons； for the farmers on shore frequently throw their dead sheep
into the sea。 The finders carefully placed these various fragments in
their pocketbooks。 But not one of them possesses a true particle of the
Indian prince。
That very night a deputy sent by the government came to hold an inquest。
He； however； formed an estimate of this singular case like a man of
intelligence and good sense。 But what should he say in his report？
The East Indians declared that if they had been prevented in France from
cremating their dead they would have taken him to a freer country where
they could have carried out their customs。
Thus； I have seen a man cremated on a funeral pile； and it has given me a
wish to disappear in the same manner。
In this way everything ends at once。 Man expedites the slow work of
nature； instead of delaying it by the hideous coffin in which one
decomposes for months。 The flesh is dead； the spirit has fled。 Fire
which purifies disperses in a few hours all that was a human being； it
casts it to the winds； converting it into air and ashes； and not into
ignominious corruption。
This is clean and hygienic。 Putrefaction beneath the ground in a closed
box where the body becomes like pap； a blackened； stinking pap； has about
it something repugnant and disgusting。 The sight of the coffin as it
descends into this muddy hole wrings one's heart with anguish。 But the
funeral pyre which flames up beneath the sky has about it something
grand； beautiful and solemn。
MISTI
I was very much interested at that time in a droll little woman。 She was
married； of course； as I have a horror of unmarried flirts。 What
enjoyment is there in making love to a woman who belongs to nobody and
yet belongs to any one？ And； besides； morality aside； I do not
understand love as a trade。 That disgusts me somewhat。
The especial attraction in a married woman to a bachelor is that she
gives him a home； a sweet； pleasant home where every one takes care of
you and spoils you； from the husband to the servants。 One finds
everything combined there； love； friendship； even fatherly interest； bed
and board； all； in fact； that constitutes the happiness of life； with
this incalculable advantage； that one can change one's family from time
to time； take up one's abode in all kinds of society in turn： in summer；
in the country with the workman who rents you a room in his house； in
winter with the townsfolk； or even with the nobility； if one is
ambitious。
I have another weakness； it is that I become attached to the husband as
well as the wife。 I acknowledge even that some husbands； ordinary or
coarse as they may be； give me a feeling of disgust for their wives；
however charming they may be。 But when the husband is intellectual or
charming I invariably become very much attached to him。 I am careful if
I quarrel with the wife not to quarrel with the husband。 In this way I
have made some of my best friends； and have also proved in many cases the
incontestable superiority of the male over the female in the human
species。 The latter makes all sorts of trouble…scenes； reproaches； etc。；
while the former； who has just as good a right to complain； treats you；
on the contrary； as though you were the special Providence of his hearth。
Well； my friend was a quaint little woman； a brunette； fanciful；
capricious； pious； superstitious； credulous as a monk； but charming。
She had a way of kissing one that I never saw in any one elsebut that
was not the attractionand such a soft skin！ It gave me intense delight
merely to hold her hands。 And an eyeher glance was like a slow caress；
delicious and unending。 Sometimes I would lean my head on her knee and
we would remain motionless； she leaning over me with that subtle；
enigmatic； disturbing smile that women have； while my eyes would be
raised to hers； drinking sweetly and deliciously into my heart； like a
form of intoxication； the glance of her limpid blue eyes； limpid as
though they were full of thoughts of love； and blue as though they were a
heaven of delights。
Her husband； inspector of some large public works； was frequently away
from home and left us our evenings free。 Sometimes I spent