"Get on, will you?" cried the voice more furiously.

And at once resuming its course, it passed by Saint-Sever, by the

Quai'des Curandiers, the Quai aux Meules, once more over the bridge, by

the Place du Champ de Mars, and behind the hospital gardens, where old

men in black coats were walking in the sun along the terrace all green

with ivy. It went up the Boulevard Bouvreuil, along the Boulevard

Cauchoise, then the whole of Mont-Riboudet to the Deville hills.

It came back; and then, without any fixed plan or direction, wandered

about at hazard. The cab was seen at Saint-Pol, at Lescure, at Mont

Gargan, at La Rougue-Marc and Place du Gaillardbois; in the Rue

Maladrerie, Rue Dinanderie, before Saint-Romain, Saint-Vivien,

Saint-Maclou, Saint-Nicaise--in front of the Customs, at the "Vieille

Tour," the "Trois Pipes," and the Monumental Cemetery. From time to time

the coachman, on his box cast despairing eyes at the public-houses.

He could not understand what furious desire for locomotion urged these

individuals never to wish to stop. He tried to now and then, and at

once exclamations of anger burst forth behind him. Then he lashed his

perspiring jades afresh, but indifferent to their jolting, running up

against things here and there, not caring if he did, demoralised, and

almost weeping with thirst, fatigue, and depression.

And on the harbour, in the midst of the drays and casks, and in the

streets, at the corners, the good folk opened large wonder-stricken

eyes at this sight, so extraordinary in the provinces, a cab with blinds

drawn, and which appeared thus constantly shut more closely than a tomb,

and tossing about like a vessel.

Once in the middle of the day, in the open country, just as the sun

beat most fiercely against the old plated lanterns, a bared hand passed

beneath the small blinds of yellow canvas, and threw out some scraps

of paper that scattered in the wind, and farther off lighted like white

butterflies on a field of red clover all in bloom.

At about six o'clock the carriage stopped in a back street of the

Beauvoisine Quarter, and a woman got out, who walked with her veil down,

and without turning her head.




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