896페이지 중 417페이지

Madame enforced the conclusion of this piece of advice by

striking her little counter with her chain of money as if she

knocked its brains out, and then gathering the heavy handkerchief

under her arm in a serene manner, and observing that it was time

to go to bed.

Next noontide saw the admirable woman in her usual place in the

wine-shop, knitting away assiduously. A rose lay beside her, and

if she now and then glanced at the flower, it was with no

infraction of her usual preoccupied air. There were a few

customers, drinking or not drinking, standing or seated,

sprinkled about. The day was very hot, and heaps of flies, who

were extending their inquisitive and adventurous perquisitions

into all the glutinous little glasses near madame, fell dead at

the bottom. Their decease made no impression on the other flies

out promenading, who looked at them in the coolest manner (as if

they themselves were elephants, or something as far removed),

until they met the same fate. Curious to consider how heedless

flies are!--perhaps they thought as much at Court that sunny

summer day.