Part 4

The crowd, now unbridled in its agitation, became more and more tumultuous. On all sides one heard the questions: What did he say?--What did he do?--Who was that woman?--And when, a few minutes later, the evening papers appeared, a furious curiosity swept over them like a cyclone, and it was suddenly divulged that the woman was Angèle, and that this Meliboeus was a naked person who was going to Italy.

Then, all their curiosity having died down, the crowd streamed off like water flowing away and the main boulevards were deserted.

And Tityrus found himself alone, completely surrounded by the swamp.

Let us grant that I have said nothing.

* * * * *

An irrepressible laughter shook the audience for several seconds.

--Gentlemen, I am happy that my story has amused you, said Prometheus, laughing also. Since the death of Damocles I have found the secret of laughter. For the present I have finished, gentlemen. Let the dead bury the dead and let us go quickly to lunch.

He took the waiter by one arm and Cocles by the other; they all left the cemetery; after passing the gates, the rest of the assembly dispersed.

--Pardon me, said Cocles. Your story was charming, and you made us laugh.... But I do not quite understand the connexion....

--If there had been more you would not have laughed so much, said Prometheus. Do not look for too much meaning in all this. I wanted above all to distract you, and I am happy to have done so; surely I owed you that? I wearied you so the other day.

They found themselves on the boulevards.

--Where are we going? said the waiter.

--To your restaurant, if you do not mind, in memory of our first meeting.

--You are passing it, said the waiter.

--I do not recognize it.

--It is all new now.

--Oh, I forgot!... I forgot that my eagle.... Don’t trouble: he will never do it again.

--Is it true, said Cocles, what you say?

--What?

--That you have killed him?

--And that we are going to eat him?... Do you doubt it? said Prometheus. Have you looked at me?--When he was alive, did I dare to laugh?--Was I not horribly thin?

--Certainly.

--He fed on me long enough. I think now that it is my turn.

--A table! Sit down! Sit down, gentlemen!

--Waiter, do not serve us: as a last remembrance, take the place of Damocles.

* * * * *

The meal was more joyful than it is possible to say. The eagle was found to be delicious, and at dessert they all drank his health.

--Has he then been useless? asked one.

--Do not say that, Cocles!--his flesh has nourished us.--When I questioned him he answered nothing, but I eat him without bearing him a grudge: if he had made me suffer less, he would have been less fat; less fat, he would have been less delectable.

--Of his past beauty, what is there left.

--I have kept all his feathers.

* * * * *

_It is with one of them that I write this little book. May you, rare friend, not find it too foolish._

EPILOGUE

TO ENDEAVOUR TO MAKE THE READER BELIEVE THAT IF THIS BOOK IS SUCH AS IT IS, IT IS NOT THE FAULT OF THE AUTHOR

One does not write the books one wants to.

_Journal des Goncourt._

_The history of Leda made such a great stir and covered Tyndarus with so much glory that Minos was not much disturbed to hear Pasiphaë say to him: “It can’t be helped. I do not like men.”_

_But later: “It is very provoking (and it has not been easy!) I trusted that a God had hidden there. If Zeus had done his share I should have produced a Dioscurus; thanks to this animal, I have only given birth to a calf.”_

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TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE:

Italicized text is surrounded by underscores: _italics_.