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Then she fancied she saw an extraordinary thing。
A sort of crimson pearl oozed from the extremity of the stalk of the flower； grew larger； and dripped on to the white sheet of the bed。
It was a spot of blood。
That day； at that very hour； Ratta and Malagutti were executed。
It was evident that the white lilac was one of these two。 But which one？
The hapless girl became insane and had to be confined in La Salpêtrière。 She died there。 From morn to night； and from night to morn； she would gibber： 〃I am Mme。 Ratta…Malagutti。〃
Thus are these sombre hearts。
IV。
Prostitution is an Isis whose final veil none has raised。 There is a sphinx in this gloomy odalisk of the frightful Sultan Everybody。 None has solved its enigma。 It is Nakedness masked。 A terrible spectacle！
Alas！ in all that we have just recounted man is abominable； woman is touching。
How many hapless ones have been driven to their fall！
The abyss is the friend of dreams。 Fallen； as we have said； their lamentable hearts have no other resource than to dream。
What caused their ruin was another dream； the dreadful dream of riches； nightmare of glory； of azure； and ecstasy which weighs upon the chest of the poor； flourish of trumpets heard in the gehenna； with the triumph of the fortunate appearing resplendent in the immense night； prodigious overture full of dawn！ Carriages roll； gold falls in showers； laces rustle。
Why should I not have this； too？ Formidable thought！
This gleam from the sinister vent…hole dazzled them； this puff of the sombre vapour inebriated them； and they were lost； and they were rich。
Wealth is a fatal distant light； woman flies frantically towards it。 This mirror catches this lark。
Wherefore they have been rich。 They； too； have had their day of enchantment； their minute of fête； their sparkle。
They have had that fever which is fatal to modesty。 They have drained the sonorous cup that is full of nothingness。 They have drunk of the madness of forgetfulness。 What a flattering hope！ What temptation！ To do nothing and have everything； a＇as！ and also to have nothing； not even one's own self。 To be slave…flesh； to be beauty for sale； a woman fallen to a thing！ They have dreamed and they have hadwhich is the same thing； complete possession being but a dreammansions； carriages； servants in livery； suppers joyous with laughter； the house of gold； silk； velvet； diamonds； pearls； life giddy with voluptuousnessevery pleasure。
Oh！ how much better is the innocence of those poor little barefooted ones on the shore of the sea； who hear at nightfall the tinkling of the cracked bells of the goats on the cliffs！
There was a disastrous morrow to these brief； perfidious joys that they had savoured。 The word love signified hatred。 The invisible doubles the visible； and it is lugubrious。 Those who shared their raptures； those to whom they gave all； received all and accepted nothing。 Theythe fallen onessowed their seed in ashes。 They were deserted even as they were being embraced。 Abandonment sniggered behind the mask of the kiss。
And now； what are they to do？ They must perforce continue to love。
V。
Oh！ if they could； the unhappy creatures； if they could put from them their hearts； their dreams； harden themselves with a hardness that could not be softened； be forever cold and passionless； tear out their entrails； and； since they are filth； become monsters！ If they could no longer think！ If they could ignore the flower； efface the star； stop up the mouth of the pit； close heaven！ They would at least no longer suffer。 But no。 They have a right to marriage； they have a right to the heart； they have a right to torture； they have a right to the ideal。 No chilling of their hearts can put out the internal fire。 However cold they may be they burn。 This； we have said； is at once their misery and their crown。 This sublimeness combines with their abjection to overwhelm them and raise them up。 Whether they will or not； the inextinguishable does not become extinguished。 Illusion is untamable。 Nothing is more invincible than dreams； and man is almost made up of dreams。 Nature will not agree to be insolvable。 One must contemplate； aspire； love。 If need be marble will set the example。 The statue becomes a woman rather than the woman a statue。
The sewer is a sanctuary in spite of itself。 It is unhealthy； there is vitiated air in it； but the irresistible phenomenon is none the less accomplished； all the holy generosities bloom livid in this cave。 Cynicism and the secret despair of pity are driven back by ecstasy； the magnificences of kindness shine through infamy； this orphan creature feels herself to be wife； sister； mother； and this fraternity which has no family； and this maternity which has no children； and this adoration which has no altar； she casts into the outer darkness。 Some one marries her。 Who？ The man in the gloom。 She sees on her finger the ring made of the mysterious gold of dreams。 And she sobs。 Torrents of tears well from her eyes。 Sombre delights！
And at the same time； let us repeat it； she suffers unheard…of tortures。 She does not belong to him to whom she has given herself。 Everybody takes her away again。 The brutal public hand holds the wretched creature and will not let her go。 She fain would flee。 Flee whither？ From whom？ From you； herself； above all from him whom she loves； the funereal ideal man。 She cannot。
Thus； and these are extreme afflictions； this hapless wight expiates； and her expiation is brought upon her by her grandeur。 Whatever she may do； she has to love。 She is condemned to the light。 She has to condole； she has to succour； she has to devote herself； she has to be kind。 A woman who has lost her modesty； fain would know love no more； impossible。 The refluxes of the heart are as inevitable as those of the sea； the lights of the heart are as fixed as those of the night。
There is within us that which we can never lose。 Abnegation； sacrifice； tenderness； enthusiasm； all these rays turn against the woman within her inmost self and attack and burn her。 All these virtues remain to avenge themselves upon her。 When she would have been a wife； she is a slave。 Hers is the hopeless； thankless task of lulling a brigand in the blue nebulousness of her illusions and of decking Mandrin with a starry rag。 She is the sister of charity of crime。 She loves； alas！ She endures her inadmissible divinity； she is magnanimous and thrills at so being。 She is happy with a horrible happiness。 She enters backwards into indignant Eden。
We do not sufficiently reflect upon this that is within us and cannot be lost。
Prostitution； vice； crime； what matters！
Night may become as black as it likes； the spark is still there。 However low you go there is light。 Light in the vagabond； light in the mendicant； light in the thief； light in the street…walker。 The deeper you go the more the miraculous light persists in showing itself。
Every heart has its pearl； which is the same for the heart gutter and the heart oceanlove。
No mire can dissolve this particle of God。
Wherefore； there； at the extreme of gloom； of despondency； of