f　the　lateness　of　the　hour；　bade　me　good…night。
  My　apartment；　painted　in　white　and　hung　with　chintz；　seemed　to　keep　some　traces　of　the　elegant　gallantry　of　the　eighteenth　century。　A　heap　of　still…glowing　asheswhich　testified　to　the　pains　taken　to　dispel　humidityfilled　the　fireplace；　whose　marble　mantlepiece　supported　a　bust　of　Marie　Antoinette　in　bisuit。　　Attached　to　the　frame　of　the　tarnished　and　discoloured　mirror；　two　brass　hooks；　that　had　once　doubtless　served　the　ladies　of　old…fashioned　days　to　hang　their　chatelaines　on；　seemed　to　offer　a　very　opportune　means　of　suspending　my　watch；　which　I　took　care　to　wind　up　beforehand；　for；　contrary　to　the　opinion　of　the　Thelemites；　I　hold　that　man　is　only　master　of　time；　which　is　Life　itself；　when　he　has　divided　it　into　hours；　minutes　and　secondsthat　is　to　say；　into　parts　proportioned　to　the　brevity　of　human　existence。
  And　I　thought　to　myself　that　life　really　seems　short　to　us　only　because　we　measure　it　irrationally　by　our　own　mad　hopes。　　We　have　all　of　us；　like　the　old　man　in　the　fable；　a　new　wing　to　add　to　our　building。　　I　want；　for　example；　before　I　die；　to　finish　my　〃History　of　the　Abbots　of　Saint…Germain…de…Pres。〃　　The　time　God　allots　to　each　one　of　us　is　like　a　precious　tissue　which　we　embroider　as　we　best　know　how。　　I　had　begun　my　woof　with　all　sorts　of　philological　illustrations。。。。　　So　my　thoughts　wandered　on；　and　at　last；　as　I　bound　my　foulard　about　my　head；　the　notion　of　Time　led　me　back　to　the　past；　and　for　the　second　time　within　the　same　round　of　the　dial　I　thought　of　you；　Clementineto　bless　you　again　in　your　prosperity；　if　you　have　any；　before　blowing　out　my　candle　and　falling　asleep　amid　the　chanting　of　the　frogs。
  Chapter　II
  During　breakfast　I　had　many　opportunities　to　appreciate　the　good　taste；　tact；　and　intelligence　of　Madame　de　Gabry；　who　told　me　that　the　chateau　had　its　ghosts；　and　was　especially　haunted　by　the　〃Lady…　with…three…wrinkles…in…her…back；〃　a　prisoner　during　her　lifetime；　and　thereafter　a　Soul…in…pain。　　I　could　never　describe　how　much　wit　and　animation　she　gave　to　this　old　nurse's　tale。　　We　took　out；　coffee　on　the　terrace；　whose　balusters；　clasped　and　forcibly　torn　away　from　their　stone　coping　by　a　vigorous　growth　of　ivy；　remained　suspended　in　the　grasp　of　the　amorous　plant　like　bewildered　Athenian　women　in　the　arms　of　ravishing　Centaurs。
  The　chateau；　shaped　something　like　a　four…wheeled　wagon；　with　a　turret　at　each　of　the　four　angles；　had　lost　all　original　character　by　reason　of　repeated　remodellings。　　It　was　merely　a　fine　spacious　building；　nothing　more。　　It　did　not　appear　to　me　to　have　suffered　much　damage　during　its　abandonment　of　thirty…two　years。　　But　when　Madame　de　Gabry　conducted　me　into　the　great　salon　of　the　ground…　floor；　I　saw　that　the　planking　was　bulged　in　and　out；　the　plinths　rotten；　the　wainscotings　split　apart；　the　paintings　of　the　piers　turned　black　and　hanging　more　than　half　out　of　their　settings。　　A　chestnut…tree；　after　forcing　up　the　planks　of　the　floor；　had　grown　tall　under　the　ceiling；　and　was　reaching　out　its　large…leaved　branches　towards　the　glassless　windows。
  This　spectacle　was　not　devoid　of　charm；　but　I　could　not　look　at　it　without　anxiety　as　I　remembered　that　the　rich　library　of　Monsieur　Honore　de　Gabry；　in　an　adjoining　apartment；　must　have　been　exposed　for　the　same　length　of　time　to　the　same　forces　of　decay。　　Yet；　as　I　looked　at　the　young　chestnut…tree　in　the　salon；　I　could　not　but　admire　the　magnificent　vigour　of　Nature；　and　that　resistless　power　which　forces　every　germ　to　develop　into　life。　　On　the　other　hand　I　felt　saddened　to　think　that；　whatever　effort　we　scholars　may　make　to　preserve　dead　things　from　passing　away；　we　are　labouring　painfully　in　vain。　　Whatever　has　lived　becomes　the　necessary　food　of　new　existences。　　And　the　Arab　who　builds　himself　a　hut　out　of　the　marble　fragments　of　a　Palmyra　temple　is　really　more　of　a　philosopher　than　all　the　guardians　of　museums　at　London；　Munich；　or　Paris。
  August　11。
  All　day　long　I　have　been　classifying　MSS。。。。　　The　sun　came　in　through　the　loft　uncurtained　windows；　and；　during　my　reading；　often　very　interesting；　I　could　hear　the　languid　bumblebees　bump　heavily　against　the　windows；　and　the　flies　intoxicated　with　light　and　heat；　making　their　wings　hum　in　circles　around　my　head。　　So　loud　became　their　humming　about　three　o'clock　that　I　looked　up　from　the　document　I　was　readinga　document　containing　very　precious　materials　for　the　history　of　Melun　in　the　thirteenth　centuryto　watch　the　concentric　movements　of　those　tiny　creatures。　　〃Bestions；〃　Lafontaine　calls　them：　　he　found　this　form　of　the　word　in　the　old　popular　speech；　whence　also　the　term；　tapisserie…a…bestions；　applied　to　figured　tapestry。　　I　was　compelled　to　confess　that　the　effect　of　heat　upon　the　wings　of　a　fly　is　totally　different　from　that　it　exerts　upon　the　brain　of　a　paleographical　archivist；　for　I　found　it　very　difficult　to　think；　and　a　rather　pleasant　languor　weighing　upon　me；　from　which　I　could　rouse　myself　only　by　a　very　determined　effort。　　The　dinner…bell　then　startled　me　in　the　midst　of　my　labours；　and　I　had　barely　time　to　put　on　my　new　dress…coat；　so　as　to　make　a　respectable　appearance　before　Madame　de　Gabry。
  The　repast；　generously　served；　seemed　to　prolong　itself　for　my　benefit。　　I　am　more　than　a　fair　judge　of　wine；　and　my　hostess；　who　discovered　my　knowledge　in　this　regard；　was　friendly　enough　to　open　a　certain　bottle　of　Chateau…Margaux　in　my　honour。　　With　deep　respect　I　drank　of　this　famous　and　knightly　old　wine；　which　comes　from　the　slopes　of　Bordeaux；　and　of　which　the　flavour　and　exhilarating　power　are　beyond　praise。　　The　ardour　of　it　spread　gently　through　my　veins；　and　filled　me　with　an　almost　juvenile　animation。　　Seated　beside　Madame　de　Gabry　on　the　terrace；　in　the　gloaming　which　gave　a　charming　melancholy　to　the　park；　and　lent　to　every　object　an　air　of　mystery；　I　took　pleasure　in　communicating　my　impression　of　the　scene　to　my　hostess。　　I　discoursed　with　a　vivacity　quite　remarkable　on　the　part　of　a　man　so　devoid　of　imagination　as　I　am。　　I　described　to　her　spontaneously；　without　quoting　from　an　old　texts；　the　caressing　melancholy　of　the　evening；　and　the　beauty　of　that　natal　earth　which　feeds　us；　not　only　with　bread　and　wine；　but　also　with　ideas；　sentiments；　and　beliefs；　and　which　will　at　last　take　us　all　back　to　her　maternal　breast　again；　like　so　many　tired　little　children　at　the　close　of　a　long　day。
  〃Monsieur；〃　said　the　kind　lady；　〃you　see　these　old　towers；　those　trees；　that　sky；　is　it　not　quite　natural　that　the　personage　of　the　popular　tales　and　folk…songs　should　have　been　evoked　by　such　scenes？　Why；　over　there　is　the　very　path　which　Little　Red　Riding…hood　followed　when　she　went　to　the　woods　to　pick　nuts。　　Across　this　changeful　and　always　vapoury　sky　the　fairy　chariots　used　to　roll；　and　the　north　tower　might　have　sheltered　under　its　pointed　roof　that　same　old　spinning　woman　whose　distaff　picked　the　Sleeping　Beauty　in　the　Wood。〃
  I　continued　to　muse　upon　her　pretty　fancies；　while　Monsieur　Paul　related　to　me；　as　he　puffed　a　very　strong　cigar；　the　history　of　some　suit　he　had　brought　against　the　commune　about　a　water…right。　　Madame　de　Gabry；　feeling　the　chill　night　air；　began　to　shiver　under　the　shawl　her　husband　had　wrapped　about　her；　and　left　us　to　go　to　her　room。　　I　then　decided；　instead　of　going　to　my　own；　to　return　to　the　library　and　continue　my　examination　of　the　manuscripts。　　In　spite　of　the　protests　of　Monsieur　Paul；　I　entered　what　I　may　call；　in　old…fashioned　phrase；　〃the　book…room；〃　and　started　to　work　by　the　light　of　a　lamp。
  After　having　read　fifteen　pages；　evidently　written　by　some　ignorant　and　careless　scribe；　for　I　could　scarcely　discern　their　meaning；　I　plunged　my　hand　into　the　pocket　of　my　coat　to　get　my　snuff…box；　but　this　movement；　usually　so　natural　and　almost　instinctive；　this　time　cost　me　some　effort　and　even　fatigue。　　Nevertheless；　I　got　out　the　silver　box；　and　took　from　it　a　pinch　of　the　odorous　powder；　which；　somehow　or　other；　I　managed　to　spill　all　over　my　shirt…bosom　under　my　baffled　nose。　　I　am　sure　my　nose　must　have　expressed　its　disappointment；　for　it　is　a　very　expressive　nose。　　More　than　once　it　has　betrayed　my　secret　thoughts；　and　especially　upon　a　certain　occasion　at　the　public　library　of　Coutances；　where　I　discovered；　right　in　front　of　my　colleague　Brioux；　the　〃Cartulary　of　Notre…　Dame…des…Anges。〃
  What　a　delight！　　My　little　eyes　remained　as　dull　and　expressionless　as　ever　behind　my　spectacles。　　But　at　the　mere　sight　of　my　thick　pug…　nose；　which　quivered　with　joy　and　pride；　Brioux　knew　that　I　had　found　something。　　He　noted　the　volume　I　was　looking　at；　observed　the　place　where　I　put　it　back；　pounced　upon　it　as　soon　as　I　turned　my　heel；　copied　it　secretly；　and　published　in　haste；　for　the　sake　of　playing　me　a　trick。　　But　his　edition　swarms　with　errors；　and　I　had　the　satisfaction　of　afterwards　criticising　some　of　the　gross　blunders　he　made。
  But　to　come　back　to　the　point　at　which　I　left　off：　　I　began　to　suspect　that　I　was　getting　very　sleepy　indeed。　　I　was　looking　at　a　chart　of　which　the　interest　may　be　divined　from　the　fact　that　it　contained　mention　of　a　hutch　sold　to　Jehan　d'Estonville；　priest；　in　1312。　　But　although；　even　then；　I　could　recognise　the