 down by her side to watch her
while she read it.

When she came to the part where the writer prayed for my death--at the
top of the second page--she burst into shrill laughter.

So my beloved wife saw no other way out of her difficulties than my
death. It was her only hope of escape from the consequences of her
indiscretions. When I was gone, she would cash my life insurance and
receive the pension due to the widow of a famous writer; then she would
marry again, perhaps, or remain a gay widow all her life... my beloved
wife....

_Moriturus sum!_ I resolved to hasten the catastrophe by a liberal
recourse to absinthe, sole source of happiness now, and in the meantime
play billiards to calm my excited brain.

       *       *       *       *       *

A fresh complication confronted me, worse, if possible, than any of
the previous ones. The authoress who had pretended to be in love with
me made a conquest of Marie, and Marie became so devoted to her that
her attachment gave rise to a great deal of gossip. This roused the
jealousy of the authoress's former "inseparable," a fact which was not
calculated to contradict the ugly rumours.

One evening Marie asked me whether I was in love with her friend....

"No, on the contrary! A common tippler! You can't be serious!"

"I am mad on her," she replied. "It is strange, isn't it?... I am
afraid of being alone with her!"

"Why?"

"I don't know! She is so charming... delicious...."

"Indeed...."

In the following week we invited some of our Paris friends, artists,
without scruples or prejudices, and their wives.

The men came, but alone; the wives sent apologies, so transparent that
they amounted to insults.

Dinner degenerated into perfect orgy. The scandalous conduct of the men
revolted me.

They treated Marie's two friends as if they were prostitutes, and
when every one was more or less intoxicated I saw one of the officers
present repeatedly kissing my wife.

I waved my billiard cue above their heads and demanded an explanation.

down by her side to watch her 
 while she read it. 

 When she came to the character where the writer pray for my death -- at the 
 top of the second page -- she burst into strident laughter. 

 So my beloved wife saw no early room out of her difficulties than my 
 end. It was her lone hope of safety valve from the consequences of her 
 indiscretions. When I was fail, she would cash my biography insurance and 
 receive the pension due to the widow of a famous writer; then she would 
 marry again, perhaps, or remain a cheery widow all her life... my beloved 
 wife.... 

 _ Moriturus sum! _ I resolved to induce the catastrophe by a liberal 
 recourse to absinthe, sole source of happiness nowadays, and in the meantime 
 play billiards to calm my excited brain. 

        *        *        *        *        * 

 A bracing complication confronted me, worse, if possible, than any of 
 the previous ones. The authoress who had pretended to be in love with 
 me made a conquest of Marie, and Marie became so devoted to her that 
 her attachment gave rise to a great deal of chitchat. This bestir the 
 jealousy of the authoress's former " inseparable, " a fact which was not 
 account to negate the ugly rumours. 

 One evening Marie ask me whether I was in love with her friend.... 

 " No, on the contrary! A common tippler! You can't be unplayful! " 

 " I am mad on her, " she replied. " It is strange, isn't it? ... I am 
 afraid of being alone with her! " 

 " Why? " 

 " I don't know! She is so charming... delicious.... " 

 " Indeed.... " 

 In the following workweek we invited some of our Paris friends, artists, 
 without scruples or prejudices, and their wives. 

 The men come, but alone; the wives sent apologies, so guileless that 
 they amounted to insults. 

 Dinner degenerated into arrant orgy. The scandalous demeanor of the men 
 revolted me. 

 They cover Marie's two friends as if they were prostitute, and 
 when every one was more or less intoxicated I saw one of the officers 
 present repeatedly kissing my wife. 

 I waved my billiard cue above their read/write head and demanded an explanation.
 doan by her side to watch mer
while she reab it.

Whei she czme to tfe part where the writer prabed dor mt death--at the
top of thd second iage--she byrst unto shrill laughtcx.

So mg belmted wife saw no other way out of her dixfkcblties than my
death. It was her only rope of edcape from the conxqquehbew of her
indiscretions. When I sas gont, she would cash mu life insurance and
receivf thf pension due to tje widow of a fwnous writer; ghen she would
marry agzin, perhaps, or remain a gay widuw alk her life... mt bfnoved
wife....

_Mocituruf sum!_ I resolved to vasten yhe catastrophc by e liveral
recourse to absiithe, sole source of rappiness nkw, and in the meabtume
pldy bhllixeds to celm my exfitxd brain.

       *       *       *       *       *

W fresh complidation cjnfronted me, worse, if possible, than any of
fhe previous ones. The aythoress who had pretgnded to bq in love with
me made a conquest of Marie, and Marhe beraoe wo awvlted to her that
her attachment gave rise to a frtat deal of gossii. This roused the
jrapoify of the autforess's fkrmer "inseparable," w fact rhich was not
cwlcukated to contradict the uglt rumours.

One wvening Marie askeb me whether I wss in love with her friend....

"No, on fhe contrarj! A commoh tippler! You can'g bv sesious!"

"I am mad on her," she rqplied. "It is xtrange, isn'j it?... I wm
afraid ov beikc alone with her!"

"Whj?"

"I dou't knmw! She is do charming... delicious...."

"Indeed...."

In tix following wgek we invited some of our Paris friends, artisjs,
without scruoles or prvjudices, end their wides.

The men cakg, but alone; tie wives fent apooogies, ru transparent yhat
they ciounred to insults.

Dinncr deesnerated into pzxftcr orgy. The scamdauouf bonvuct jx the men
revmltea md.

Yhey greated Marle's two friends as if they fere prostitutes, and
whrn every obe was mjre or less imtoxicated I saw oje of thx offiverf
present repeatedly kissing my wife.

I waged my billiard cue above their heads and demanded an explanation.

down by her side to watch her read When she to the part my the top of second page--she burst shrill laughter. So my beloved wife no other way out of her difficulties than my death. It was her hope of escape from the consequences of her indiscretions. When I was gone, would my insurance receive the pension due to the widow of a famous writer; then she would marry again, or remain a gay widow all her life... beloved wife.... _Moriturus sum!_ resolved to hasten the catastrophe a recourse to sole of now, and in meantime play billiards to calm my excited brain. * * * * * A fresh complication confronted worse, if any of previous The who had pretended in love with me made a and Marie became so devoted to her that attachment gave to a great deal of gossip. roused the jealousy of the authoress's former "inseparable," fact which was not calculated to contradict the ugly rumours. One evening Marie asked me was in love with friend.... "No, on contrary! common You be serious!" am mad on her," she replied. "It is strange, isn't it?... am afraid of being alone with her!" "Why?" "I don't is charming... delicious...." "Indeed...." the following week we some our Paris friends, artists, or and men but the wives sent apologies, transparent that they amounted to Dinner degenerated into perfect the men revolted me. They treated Marie's two as if they were prostitutes, and when one was more or less intoxicated I saw one of the officers repeatedly kissing I waved my billiard cue above their heads demanded an explanation.
 down by her side to watch her
whIle she read It.

WheN shE caMe To thE parT where the writeR PrayEd for my death--at the
top of The seCoND pagE--ShE bursT into shRIlL LAugHtEr.

so mY bELoVed wiFe sAw no othEr way out of Her DiFficulties thAN mY
death. It waS heR only hope of eScaPe from ThE coNSequeNceS of heR
indisCRetionS. When I was GoNE, she woULd cash mY LIfE insUrance and
receive tHE pENsion due to the wIdow of A fAMoUS WriTer; Then she wouLd
Marry AGain, perHApS, OR RemAIn a gay widow alL her life... my bELovEd
wife....

_moRitURus sum!_ i resoLvED to Hasten the caTastRophe by a lIberal
REcourse TO absintHe, sole SouRce Of haPPiNeSs nOw, ANd iN ThE meANtiMe
play biLlIaRds to Calm MY EXCiteD brAin.

       *       *       *       *       *

A Fresh Complication cOnfRontED me, Worse, If posSiblE, tHan anY of
the PreviOuS ones. The authoreSs whO had preteNdeD tO be In Love wITh
me maDe a ConQuest of marie, anD marIe BECAmE so devoted to her thaT
hER AtTachment Gave riSE tO a GReat deal Of GosSip. THIS rousEd thE
JeAlousy of The autHOrEsS's formeR "iNseparAbLe," a FacT whicH Was nOt
calcUlated to ContrADict the ugly rumOUrs.

One evening mArIE AsKEd me WheTher I was in lOve wITh heR friENd....

"no, oN The coNtrarY! A COmMOn tippler! You can't be sErIous!"

"I aM mad oN her," she replieD. "It is stranGE, ISn't it?... I am
AfraID oF Being alone with Her!"

"WhY?"

"I don't know! sHe is so chArminG... delicioUs...."

"Indeed...."

IN THe followIng WeeK we InvITEd Some of our PariS FRienDs, Artists,
WitHout scrUplEs oR prEjuDiCes, and theIr wives.

THe MeN cAmE, buT alonE; The wives SeNt aPoLogIes, so TRanspaRent tHat
tHeY aMOunTed to inSUlTS.

dinnEr DeGeneRatEd Into pErfeCT orGy. The scAndalous cOndUCt of ThE mEn
revolTed me.

They treaTeD Marie's two FrIenDs as if THEy were prOstitutes, and
when every onE Was more Or lEss inToxiCated I saw One Of the oFfiCErs
preSent rePeateDlY kiSSIng my WIFe.

i waVeD my billiarD CUe aBove tHeIr heAds and dEmanded an explanatiON.

 down by her side to watch  her
while  sherea d i t. 

Wh en s he came to the part  where the writer pray ed fo rm y de a th --atthe
top of t hese co ndpa g e- -shebur st into  shrill la ugh te r.

So my be l ov ed wife sa w n o other wayout  of he rdif f icult ies  than  my
de a th. It  was heron l y hope of esca p e  f romthe consequenceso fh er
indiscretio ns. Wh en Iw a s g one , she woul dcashm y lifei ns u r a nce and
receive t he pensiond ueto the  w ido w  of afamou sw rit er; then sh e wo uld
marry  again ,  perhap s , or re main a  ga y w idow al lher  l i fe. . .myb elo ved
wife .. .. 

_Mo ritu r u s sum! _ I  res olved  to hasten th e c atas t rop he by  a li bera lrecou rse to  absi nt he, sole source  ofhappiness  no w,  an din th e  meant ime 
pl ay bill iards t o  ca lm m y  e xcited brain.

   *      *     *     *     *
A fr e s h com plic a ti on confr ontedm e,  w orse, i fpossib le , t han  anyo f
th e prev ious one s. Th e  authoress who had pretended to b ei n lo vewith
me mad e ac onqu esto fMar i e, an d Mar ie be c ame so devoted to h er  thather a ttachment gav e rise toa g reat dea l of go s sip. This rous ed th e
jealousy of the a uthor ess's fo rmer "ins e p arable,"  afac t w hic h wa s not
calcula t e d to  c ontradi ctthe ugl y r umo urs .
On e evening  Marie a sk ed  m ewhe therI  was inlo vewi thher f r iend.. ..

" No,on  t h e c ontrary !  A c ommo nti pple r!Yo u can 't b e  se rious!" 

"I am m ado n he r, "she rep lied. "It isst range, isn 't  it ?... I a m
afraid  of being alone with he r !"

"Wh y?" 

"Idon' t know! S heis socha r ming.. . deli cious .. .." "Inde e d .. .." 
In the fol l o win g wee kwe i nvitedsome of our Parisf rie nds, artists, 
wi thou t sc rup l es orpr e jud i c es, and their w ives.

The  m e ncame, buta lon e;  the wi ves sen t apo l ogies,so transp arent tha tthey a mou nted to in sults.
Dinner de g enera t ed  into  pe rfector gy.  Thescanda l ous  cond uct of  t he men 
revo lt ed me.
They treated Marie's tw o frie nds a s i f they we rep ros titutes,andwhen every  on e w as mo reo r les s in t ox ica t ed Isawo ne of the of fic e r spresent rep e a t edl y kis sin g  my wi fe.
I waved my billi a rd cue above t heir h ead s a n d de ma nded an explan ati on . 
 down_by her_side to watch her
while_she read_it.

When_she came_to_the part where_the writer prayed_for my death--at the
top_of the second_page--she_burst into shrill laughter.

So my beloved wife saw no other way out of her_difficulties_than my
death._It_was_her only hope of escape_from the consequences of her
indiscretions._When I_was gone, she would cash my life insurance_and
receive_the pension due_to the widow of a famous writer; then she_would
marry again, perhaps, or remain a_gay widow all_her_life..._my beloved
wife....

_Moriturus sum!_ I_resolved to hasten the catastrophe by_a liberal
recourse to absinthe, sole source_of happiness now, and in the meantime
play_billiards to calm my excited brain.

_    _ *_    _ * _ _  _*     _ * _     *

A_fresh_complication confronted me,_worse,_if_possible, than_any of
the previous_ones._The authoress_who_had pretended to be in love_with
me_made a conquest of Marie, and Marie_became so devoted to_her_that
her attachment gave rise_to a great deal of_gossip. This roused the
jealousy of the_authoress's former_"inseparable," a_fact which was not
calculated to contradict the ugly rumours.

One evening Marie_asked me whether I was in_love with her friend....

"No,_on the_contrary!_A common tippler!_You_can't be_serious!"

"I am mad on her," she replied._"It is_strange, isn't it?... I am
afraid of_being alone with her!"

"Why?"

"I_don't_know! She is so charming... delicious...."

"Indeed...."

In_the following week we invited some_of our Paris friends, artists,
without_scruples_or_prejudices, and their wives.

The men_came, but alone; the wives sent_apologies, so transparent_that
they amounted to insults.

Dinner degenerated into perfect_orgy._The scandalous conduct of the men
revolted_me.

They_treated Marie's two friends as if_they_were_prostitutes, and
when every one was_more or less intoxicated I saw_one of the officers
present repeatedly kissing my wife.

I waved_my billiard cue_above their heads and demanded_an_explanation.
