English
Onebyone,asthecharactersofacryptographbecomeexplicit,thelittlesignsleftbythefurnishedroom'sprocessionofguestsdevelopedasignificance.
Thethreadbarespaceintheruginfrontofthedressertoldthatlovelywomanhadmarchedinthethrong.
Tinyfingerprintsonthewallspokeoflittleprisonerstryingtofeeltheirwaytosunandair.
Asplatteredstain,rayingliketheshadowofaburstingbomb,witnessedwhereahurledglassorbottlehadsplinteredwithitscontentsagainstthewall.
Acrossthepierglasshadbeenscrawledwithadiamondinstaggeringlettersthename"Marie."
Itseemedthatthesuccessionofdwellersinthefurnishedroomhadturnedinfury--perhapstemptedbeyondforbearancebyitsgarishcoldness--andwreakeduponittheirpassions.
Thefurniturewaschippedandbruised;thecouch,distortedbyburstingsprings,seemedahorriblemonsterthathadbeenslainduringthestressofsomegrotesqueconvulsion.
Somemorepotentupheavalhadclovenagreatslicefromthemarblemantel.
Eachplankinthefloorowneditsparticularcantandshriekasfromaseparateandindividualagony.
Itseemedincrediblethatallthismaliceandinjuryhadbeenwroughtupontheroombythosewhohadcalleditforatimetheirhome;
andyetitmayhavebeenthecheatedhomeinstinctsurvivingblindly,theresentfulrageatfalsehouseholdgodsthathadkindledtheirwrath.
Ahutthatisourownwecansweepandadornandcherish.
Theyoungtenantinthechairallowedthesethoughtstofile,soft-shod,throughhismind,whiletheredriftedintotheroomfurnishedsoundsandfurnishedscents.
Heheardinoneroomatitteringandincontinent,slacklaughter;inothersthemonologueofascold,therattlingofdice,alullaby,andonecryingdully;
abovehimabanjotinkledwithspirit.Doorsbangedsomewhere;theelevatedtrainsroaredintermittently;acatyowledmiserablyuponabackfence.
Andhebreathedthebreathofthehouse--adanksavourratherthanasmell--acold,mustyeffluviumasfromundergroundvaultsmingledwiththereekingexhalationsoflinoleumandmildewedandrottenwoodwork.
Then,suddenly,asherestedthere,theroomwasfilledwiththestrong,sweetodourofmignonette.
Itcameasuponasinglebuffetofwindwithsuchsurenessandfragranceandemphasisthatitalmostseemedalivingvisitant.
Andthemancriedaloud:"What,dear?"asifhehadbeencalled,andsprangupandfacedabout.
Therichodourclungtohimandwrappedhimaround.Hereachedouthisarmsforit,allhissensesforthetimeconfusedandcommingled.
Howcouldonebeperemptorilycalledbyanodour?Surelyitmusthavebeenasound.But,wasitnotthesoundthathadtouched,thathadcaressedhim?
"Shehasbeeninthisroom,"hecried,andhesprangtowrestfromitatoken,
forheknewhewouldrecognizethesmallestthingthathadbelongedtoherorthatshehadtouched.
Thisenvelopingscentofmignonette,theodourthatshehadlovedandmadeherown--whencecameit?
Theroomhadbeenbutcarelesslysetinorder.
Scatteredupontheflimsydresserscarfwerehalfadozenhairpins--thosediscreet,indistinguishablefriendsofwomankind,feminineofgender,infiniteofmoodanduncommunicativeoftense.
Theseheignored,consciousoftheirtriumphantlackofidentity.
Ransackingthedrawersofthedresserhecameuponadiscarded,tiny,raggedhandkerchief.
Hepressedittohisface.Itwasracyandinsolentwithheliotrope;hehurledittothefloor.
Inanotherdrawerhefoundoddbuttons,atheatreprogramme,apawnbroker'scard,twolostmarshmallows,abookonthedivinationofdreams.
Inthelastwasawoman'sblacksatinhairbow,whichhaltedhim,poisedbetweeniceandfire.
Buttheblacksatinhairbowalsoisfemininity'sdemure,impersonal,commonornament,andtellsnotales.
Andthenhetraversedtheroomlikeahoundonthescent,skimmingthewalls,consideringthecornersofthebulgingmattingonhishandsandknees,rummagingmantelandtables,thecurtainsandhangngs,thedrunkencabinetinthecorner,
foravisiblesign,unabletoperceivethatshewastherebeside,around,against,within,abovehim,clingingtohim,wooinghim,callinghimsopoignantlythroughthefinersensesthatevenhisgrosseronesbecamecognisantofthecall.
Onceagainheansweredloudly:"Yes,dear!"andturned,wild-eyed,togazeonvacancy,
forhecouldnotyetdiscernformandcolourandloveandoutstretchedarmsintheodourofmnignonette.
Oh,God!whencethatodour,andsincewhenhaveodourshadavoicetocall?Thushegroped.
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