original short stories-13-第23章

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disposal　the　facilities　for　a　peaceful；　painless；　if　not　unforeseen
death。〃

〃Who　can　have　authorized　such　an　institution？〃

〃General　Boulanger　during　his　brief　tenure　of　power。　　He　could　never
refuse　anything。　　However；　that　was　the　only　good　thing　he　did。　　Hence；　a
society　was　formed　of　clear…sighted；　disillusioned　skeptics　who　desired
to　erect　in　the　heart　of　Paris　a　kind　of　temple　dedicated　to　the　contempt
for　death。　　This　place　was　formerly　a　dreaded　spot　that　no　one　ventured
to　approach。　　Then　its　founders；　who　met　together　here；　gave　a　grand
inaugural　entertainment　with　Mmes。　Sarah　Bernhardt；　Judic；　Theo；　Granier；
and　twenty　others；　and　Mme。　de　Reske；　Coquelin；　Mounet…Sully；　Paulus；
etc。；　present；　followed　by　concerts；　the　comedies　of　Dumas；　of　Meilhac；
Halevy　and　Sardon。　　We　had　only　one　thing　to　mar　it；　one　drama　by　Becque
which　seemed　sad；　but　which　subsequently　had　a　great　success　at　the
Comedie…Francaise。　　In　fact　all　Paris　came。　　The　enterprise　was
launched。〃

〃In　the　midst　of　the　festivities！　　What　a　funereal　joke！〃

〃Not　at　all。　　Death　need　not　be　sad；　it　should　be　a　matter　of
indifference。　　We　made　death　cheerful；　crowned　it　with　flowers；　covered
it　with　perfume；　made　it　easy。　　One　learns　to　aid　others　through　example；
one　can　see　that　it　is　nothing。〃

〃I　can　well　understand　that　they　should　come　to　the　entertainments；　but
did　they　come　to　。　　。　　。　　Death？〃

〃Not　at　first；　they　were　afraid。〃

〃And　later？〃

〃They　came。〃

〃Many　of　them？〃

〃In　crowds。　　We　have　had　more　than　forty　in　a　day。　　One　finds　hardly　any
more　drowned　bodies　in　the　Seine。〃

〃Who　was　the　first？〃

〃A　club　member。〃

〃As　a　sacrifice　to　the　cause？〃

〃I　don't　think　so。　　A　man　who　was　sick　of　everything；　a　'down　and　out'
who　had　lost　heavily　at　baccarat　for　three　months。〃

〃Indeed？〃

〃The　second　was　an　Englishman；　an　eccentric。　　We　then　advertised　in　the
papers；　we　gave　an　account　of　our　methods；　we　invented　some　attractive
instances。　　But　the　great　impetus　was　given　by　poor　people。〃

〃How　do　you　go　to　work？〃

〃Would　you　like　to　see？　　I　can　explain　at　the　same　time。〃

〃Yes；　indeed。〃

He　took　his　hat；　opened　the　door；　allowed　me　to　precede　him；　and　we
entered　a　card　room；　where　men　sat　playing　as　they；　play　in　all　gambling
places。　　They　were　chatting　cheerfully；　eagerly。　　I　have　seldom　seen　such
a　jolly；　lively；　mirthful　club。

As　I　seemed　surprised；　the　secretary　said：

〃Oh；　the　establishment　has　an　unheard　of　prestige。　　All　the　smart　people
all　over　the　world　belong　to　it　so　as　to　appear　as　though　they　held　death
in　scorn。　　Then；　once　they　get　here；　they　feel　obliged　to　be　cheerful
that　they　may　not　appear　to　be　afraid。　　So　they　joke　and　laugh　and　talk
flippantly；　they　are　witty　and　they　become　so。　　At　present　it　is
certainly　the　most　frequented　and　the　most　entertaining　place　in　Paris。
The　women　are　even　thinking　of　building　an　annex　for　themselves。〃

〃And；　in　spite　of　all　this；　you　have　many　suicides　in　the　house？〃

〃As　I　said；　about　forty　or　fifty　a　day。　　Society　people　are　rare；　but
poor　devils　abound。　　The　middle　class　has　also　a　large　contingent。

〃And　how　。　　。　　。　　do　they　do？〃

〃They　are　asphyxiated　。　　。　　。　　very　slowly。〃

〃In　what　manner？〃

〃A　gas　of　our　own　invention。　　We　have　the　patent。　　On　the　other　side　of
the　building　are　the　public　entrancesthree　little　doors　opening　on
small　streets。　　When　a　man　or　a　woman　present　themselves　they　are
interrogated。　　Then　they　are　offered　assistance；　aid；　protection。　　If　a
client　accepts；　inquiries　are　made；　and　sometimes　we　have　saved　their
lives。〃

〃Where　do　you　get　your　money？〃

〃We　have　a　great　deal。　　There　are　a　large　number　of　shareholders。
Besides　it　is　fashionable　to　contribute　to　the　establishment。　　The　names
of　the　donors　are　published　in　Figaro。　　Then　the　suicide　of　every　rich
man　costs　a　thousand　francs。　　And　they　look　as　if　they　were　lying　in
state。　　It　costs　the　poor　nothing。〃

〃How　can　you　tell　who　is　poor？〃

〃Oh；　oh；　monsieur；　we　can　guess！　　And；　besides；　they　must　bring　a
certificate　of　indigency　from　the　commissary　of　police　of　their　district。
If　you　knew　how　distressing　it　is　to　see　them　come　in！　　I　visited　their
part　of　our　building　once　only；　and　I　will　never　go　again。　　The　place
itself　is　almost　as　good　as　this　part；　almost　as　luxurious　and
comfortable；　but　they　themselves　。　　。　　。　　they　themselves！！！　　If　you
could　see　them　arriving；　the　old　men　in　rags　coming　to　die；　persons　who
have　been　dying　of　misery　for　months；　picking　up　their　food　at　the　edges
of　the　curbstone　like　dogs　in　the　street；　women　in　rags；　emaciated；　sick；
paralyzed；　incapable　of　making　a　living；　who　say　to　us　after　they　have
told　us　their　story：　'You　see　that　things　cannot　go　on　like　that；　as　I
cannot　work　any　longer　or　earn　anything。'　　I　saw　one　woman　of　eighty…
seven　who　had　lost　all　her　children　and　grandchildren；　and　who　for　the
last　six　weeks　had　been　sleeping　out　of　doors。　　It　made　me　ill　to　hear　of
it。　　Then　we　have　so　many　different　cases；　without　counting　those　who　say
nothing；　but　simply　ask：　'Where　is　it？'　　These　are　admitted　at　once　and
it　is　all　over　in　a　minute。〃

With　a　pang　at　my　heart　I　repeated：

〃And　。　　。　　。　　where　is　it？〃

〃Here；〃　and　he　opened　a　door；　adding：

〃Go　in；　this　is　the　part　specially　reserved　for　club　members；　and　the　one
least　used。　　We　have　so　far　had　only　eleven　annihilations　here。〃

〃Ah！　　You　call　that　an　。　　。　　。　　annihilation！〃

〃Yes；　monsieur。　　Go　in。〃

I　hesitated。　　At　length　I　went　in。　　It　was　a　wide　corridor；　a　sort　of
greenhouse　in　which　panes　of　glass　of　pale　blue；　tender　pink　and　delicate
green　gave　the　poetic　charm　of　landscapes　to　the　inclosing　walls。
In　this　pretty　salon　there　were　divans；　magnificent　palms；　flowers；
especially　roses　of　balmy　fragrance；　books　on　the　tables；　the　Revue　des
Deuxmondes；　cigars　in　government　boxes；　and；　what　surprised　me；　Vichy
pastilles　in　a　bonbonniere。

As　I　expressed　my　surprise；　my　guide　said：

〃Oh；　they　often　come　here　to　chat。〃　　He　continued：　〃The　public　corridors
are　similar；　but　more　simply　furnished。〃

In　reply　to　a　question　of　mine；　he　pointed　to　a　couch　covered　with　creamy
crepe　de　Chine　with　white　embroidery；　beneath　a　large　shrub　of　unknown
variety　at　the　foot　of　which　was　a　circular　bed　of　mignonette。

The　secretary　added　in　a　lower　tone：

〃We　change　the　flower　and　the　perfume　at　will；　for　our　gas；　which　is
quite　imperceptible；　gives　death　the　fragrance　of　the　suicide's　favorite
flower。　　It　is　volatilized　with　essences。　　Would　you　like　to　inhale　it
for　a　second？〃

〃'No；　thank　you；〃　I　said　hastily；　〃not　yet　。　　。　　。　　。〃

He　began　to　laugh。

〃Oh；　monsieur；　there　is　no　danger。　　I　have　tried　it　myself　several
times。〃

I　was　afraid　he　would　think　me　a　coward；　and　I　said：

〃Well；　I'll　try　it。〃

〃Stretch　yourself　out　on　the　'endormeuse。〃'

A　little　uneasy　I　seated　myself　on　the　low　couch　covered　with　crepe　de
Chine　and　stretched　myself　full　length；　and　was　at　once　bathed　in　a
delicious　odor　of　mignonette。　　I　opened　my　mouth　in　order　to　breathe　it
in；　for　my　mind　had　already　become　stupefied　and　forgetful　of　the　past
and　was　a　prey；　in　the　first　stages　of　asphyxia；　to　the　enchanting
intoxication　of　a　destroying　and　magic　opium。

Some　one　shook　me　by　the　arm。

〃Oh；　oh；　monsieur；〃　said　the　secretary；　laughing；　〃it　looks　to　me　as　if
you　were　almost　caught。〃

But　a　voice；　a　real　voice；　and　no　longer　a　dream　voice；　greeted　me　with
the　peasant　intonation：

〃Good　morning；　m'sieu。　　How　goes　it？〃

My　dream　was　over。　　I　saw　the　Seine　distinctly　in　the　sunlight；　and；
coming　along　a　path；　the　garde　champetre　of　the　district；　who　with　his
right　hand　touched　his　kepi　braided　in　silver。　　I　replied：

〃Good　morning；　Marinel。　　Where　are　you　going？〃

〃I　am　going　to　look　at　a　drowned　man　whom　they　fished　up　near　the
Morillons。　　Another　who　has　thrown　himself　into　the　soup。　　He　even　took
off　his　trousers　in　order　to　tie　his　legs　together　with　them。〃






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