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and murmur： 'I love you！'
〃I was guilty； very guilty； and I grieved continually about it； and I
have been doing penance all my life； I have remained an old maidor；
rather； I have lived as a widowed fiancee； his widow。
〃I was amused at this childish tenderness； and I even encouraged him。
I was coquettish； as charming as with a man； alternately caressing and
severe。 I maddened this child。 It was a game for me and a joyous
diversion for his mother and mine。 He was twelve！ think of it！ Who
would have taken this atom's passion seriously？ I kissed him as often as
he wished； I even wrote him little notes； which were read by our
respective mothers； and he answered me by passionate letters； which I
have kept。 Judging himself as a man； he thought that our loving intimacy
was secret。 We had forgotten that he was a Santeze。
〃This lasted for about a year。 One evening in the park he fell at my
feet and； as he madly kissed the hem of my dress； he kept repeating： 'I
love you！ I love you！ I love you！ If ever you deceive me； if ever you
leave me for another； I'll do as my father did。' And he added in a
hoarse voice； which gave me a shiver： 'You know what he did！'
〃I stood there astonished。 He arose； and standing on the tips of his
toes in order to reach my ear； for I was taller than he； he pronounced my
first name： 'Genevieve！' in such a gentle； sweet； tender tone that I
trembled all over。 I stammered： 'Let us return！ let us return！' He said
no more and followed me； but as we were going up the steps of the porch；
he stopped me； saying： 'You know； if ever you leave me； I'll kill
myself。'
〃This time I understood that I had gone too far； and I became quite
reserved。 One day； as he was reproaching me for this； I answered： 'You
are now too old for jesting and too young for serious love。 I'll wait。'
〃I thought that this would end the matter。 In the autumn he was sent to
a boarding…school。 When he returned the following summer I was engaged
to be married。 He understood immediately； and for a week he became so
pensive that I was quite anxious。
〃On the morning of the ninth day I saw a little paper under my door as I
got up。 I seized it； opened it and read： 'You have deserted me and you
know what I said。 It is death to which you have condemned me。 As I do
not wish to be found by another than you； come to the park just where I
told you last year that I loved you and look in the air。'
〃I thought that I should go mad。 I dressed as quickly as I could and ran
wildly to the place that he had mentioned。 His little cap was on the
ground in the mud。 It had been raining all night。 I raised my eyes and
saw something swinging among the leaves； for the wind was blowing a gale。
〃I don't know what I did after that。 I must have screamed at first； then
fainted and fallen； and finally have run to the chateau。 The next thing
that I remember I was in bed； with my mother sitting beside me。
〃I thought that I had dreamed all this in a frightful nightmare。
I stammered： 'And what of him； what of him； Gontran？' There was no
answer。 It was true！
〃I did not dare see him again； but I asked for a lock of his blond hair。
Herehere it is！〃
And the old maid stretched out her trembling hand in a despairing
gesture。 Then she blew her nose several times； wiped her eyes and
continued：
〃I broke off my marriagewithout saying why。 And II always have
remained thethe widow of this thirteen…year…old boy。〃 Then her head
fell on her breast and she wept for a long time。
As the guests were retiring for the night a large man； whose quiet she
had disturbed； whispered in his neighbor's ear： 〃Isn't it unfortunate to；
be so sentimental？〃
THE ENGLISHMAN OF ETRETAT
A great English poet has just crossed over to France in order to greet
Victor Hugo。 All the newspapers are full of his name and he is the great
topic of conversation in all drawing…rooms。 Fifteen years ago I had
occasion several times to meet Algernon Charles Swinburne。 I will
attempt to show him just as I saw him and to give an idea of the strange
impression he made on me； which will remain with me throughout time。
I believe it was in 1867 or in 1868 that an unknown young Englishman came
to Etretat and bought a little but hidden under great trees。 It was said
that he lived there； always alone； in a strange manner； and he aroused
the inimical surprise of the natives； for the inhabitants were sullen and
foolishly malicious； as they always are in little towns。
They declared that this whimsical Englishman ate nothing but boiled。
roasted or stewed monkey； that he would see no one； that he talked to
himself hours at a time and many other surprising things that made people
think that he was different from other men。 They were surprised that he
should live alone with a monkey。 Had it been a cat or a dog they would
have said nothing。 But a monkey！ Was that not frightful？ What savage
tastes the man must have！
I knew this young man only from seeing him in the streets。 He was short；
plump； without being fat； mild…looking； and he wore a little blond
mustache； which was almost invisible。
Chance brought us together。 This savage had amiable and pleasing
manners； but he was one of those strange Englishmen that one meets here
and there throughout the world。
Endowed with remarkable intelligence； he seemed to live in a fantastic
dream； as Edgar Poe must have lived。 He had translated into English a
volume of strange Icelandic legends； which I ardently desired to see
translated into French。 He loved the supernatural； the dismal and
grewsome； but he spoke of the most marvellous things with a calmness that
was typically English； to which his gentle and quiet voice gave a
semblance of reality that was maddening。
Full of a haughty disdain for the world； with its conventions； prejudices
and code of morality； he had nailed to his house a name that was boldly
impudent。 The keeper of a lonely inn who should write on his door：
〃Travellers murdered here！〃 could not make a more sinister jest。 I never
had entered his dwelling； when one day I received an invitation to
luncheon； following an accident that had occurred to one of his friends；
who had been almost drowned and whom I had attempted to rescue。
Although I was unable to reach the man until he had already been rescued；
I received the hearty thanks of the two Englishmen； and the following day
I called upon them。
The friend was a man about thirty years old。 He bore an enormous head on
a child's bodya body without chest or shoulders。 An immense forehead；
which seemed to have engulfed the rest of the man； expanded like a dome
above a thin face which ended in a little pointed beard。 Two sharp eyes
and a peculiar mouth gave one the impression of the head of a reptile；
while the magnificent brow suggested a genius。
A nervous twitching shook this peculiar being； who walked； moved； acted
by jerks like a broken spring。
This was Algernon Charles Swinburne； son of an English admiral and
grandson； on the maternal side； of the Earl of Ashburnham。
He strange countenance was transfigured when he spoke。 I have seldom
see