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ort of tall； slender girl； who drew herself up in front of him and stared boldly at him。
She had less the air of a human being than of a form which had just blossomed forth from the twilight。
Before Father Mabeuf； who was easily terrified； and who was； as we have said； quick to take alarm； was able to reply by a single syllable； this being； whose movements had a sort of odd abruptness in the darkness； had unhooked the chain； plunged in and withdrawn the bucket； and filled the watering…pot； and the goodman beheld this apparition； which had bare feet and a tattered petticoat； running about among the flower…beds distributing life around her。
The sound of the watering…pot on the leaves filled Father Mabeuf's soul with ecstasy。 It seemed to him that the rhododendron was happy now。
The first bucketful emptied； the girl drew a second； then a third。 She watered the whole garden。
There was something about her； as she thus ran about among paths； where her outline appeared perfectly black； waving her angular arms； and with her fichu all in rags； that resembled a bat。
When she had finished； Father Mabeuf approached her with tears in his eyes； and laid his hand on her brow。
〃God will bless you；〃 said he； 〃you are an angel since you take care of the flowers。〃
〃No；〃 she replied。
〃I am the devil； but that's all the same to me。〃
The old man exclaimed； without either waiting for or hearing her response：
〃What a pity that I am so unhappy and so poor； and that I can
do nothing for you！〃
〃You can do something；〃 said she。
〃What？〃
〃Tell me where M。 Marius lives。〃
The old man did not understand。
〃What Monsieur Marius？〃
He raised his glassy eyes and seemed to be seeking something that had vanished。
〃A young man who used to e here。〃
In the meantime； M。 Mabeuf had searched his memory。
〃Ah！ yes〃 he exclaimed。
〃I know what you mean。
Wait！ Monsieur Mariusthe Baron Marius Pontmercy； parbleu！
He lives； or rather； he no longer lives；ah well； I don't know。〃
As he spoke； he had bent over to train a branch of rhododendron； and he continued：
〃Hold； I know now。
He very often passes along the boulevard； and goes in the direction of the Glaciere； Rue Croulebarbe。 The meadow of the Lark。
Go there。
It is not hard to meet him。〃
When M。 Mabeuf straightened himself up； there was no longer any one there； the girl had disappeared。
He was decidedly terrified。
〃Really；〃 he thought； 〃if my garden had not been watered； I should think that she was a spirit。〃
An hour later； when he was in bed； it came back to him； and as he fell asleep； at that confused moment when thought； like that fabulous bird which changes itself into a fish in order to cross the sea； little by little assumes the form of a dream in order to traverse slumber； he said to himself in a bewildered way：
〃In sooth； that greatly resembles what Rubaudiere narrates of the goblins。
Could it have been a goblin？〃
APPARITION TO FATHER MABEUF
Marius no longer went to see any one； but he sometimes encountered Father Mabeuf by chance。
While Marius was slowly descending those melancholy steps which may be called the cellar stairs； and which lead to places without light； where the happy can be heard walking overhead； M。 Mabeuf was descending on his side。
The Flora of Cauteretz no longer sold at all。
The experiments on indigo had not been successful in the little garden of Austerlitz； which had a bad exposure。
M。 Mabeuf could cultivate there only a few plants which love shade and dampness。
Nevertheless； he did not bee discouraged。
He had obtained a corner in the Jardin des Plantes； with a good exposure； to make his trials with indigo 〃at his own expense。〃
For this purpose he had pawned his copperplates of the Flora。
He had reduced his breakfast to two eggs； and he left one of these for his old servant； to whom he had paid no wages for the last fifteen months。
And often his breakfast was his only meal。 He no longer smiled with his infantile smile； he had grown morose and no longer received visitors。
Marius did well not to dream of going thither。
Sometimes； at the hour when M。 Mabeuf was on his way to the Jardin des Plantes； the old man and the young man passed each other on the Boulevard de l'Hopital。 They did not speak； and only exchanged a melancholy sign of the head。
A heart…breaking thing it is that there es a moment when misery looses bonds！ Two men who have been friends bee two chance passers…by。
Royal the bookseller was dead。
M。 Mabeuf no longer knew his books； his garden； or his indigo：
these were the three forms which happiness； pleasure； and hope had assumed for him。
This sufficed him for his living。
He said to himself：
〃When I shall have made my balls of blueing； I shall be rich； I will withdraw my copperplates from the pawn…shop； I will put my Flora in vogue again with trickery； plenty of money and advertisements in the newspapers and I will buy； I know well where； a copy of Pierre de Medine's Art de Naviguer； with wood…cuts； edition of 1655。〃
In the meantime； he toiled all day over his plot of indigo； and at night he returned home to water his garden； and to read his books。
At that epoch； M。 Mabeuf was nearly eighty years of age。
One evening he had a singular apparition。
He had returned home while it was still broad daylight。 Mother Plutarque； whose health was declining； was ill and in bed。 He had dined on a bone； on which a little meat lingered； and a bit of bread that he had found on the kitchen table； and had seated himself on an overturned stone post； which took the place of a bench in his garden。
Near this bench there rose； after the fashion in orchard…gardens； a sort of large chest； of beams and planks； much dilapidated； a rabbit…hutch on the ground floor； a fruit…closet on the first。 There was nothing in the hutch； but there were a few apples in the fruit…closet；the remains of the winter's provision。
M。 Mabeuf had set himself to turning over and reading； with the aid of his glasses； two books of which he was p