蜇byone,asthecharactersofacrytograhbecomeexlicit,thelittlesignsleftbythefurnishedroomsrocessionofguestsdeveloedasignificance。Thethreadbaresaceintheruginfrontofthedressertoldthatlovelywomenhadmarchedinthethrong。Tinyfingerrintsonthewallsokeoflittlerisonerstryingtofeeltheirwaytosunandair。Aslatteredstain,rayingliketheshadowofaburstingbomb,witnessedwhereahurledglassorbottlehadslinteredwithitscontentsagainstthewall。Acrosstheierglasshadbeenscrawledwithadiamondinstaggeringlettersthename
"Marie
"。Itseemedthatthesuccessionofdwellersinthefurnishedroomhadturnedinfury—erhastemtedbeyondforbearancebyitsgarishcoldness—andwreakeduonittheirassions。Thefurniturewaschiedandbruised;thecouch,distortedbyburstingsrings,seemedahorriblemonsterthathadbeenslainduringthestressofsomegrotesqueconvulsion。Somemoreotentuheavalhadclovenagreatslicefromthemarblemantel。Eachlankinthefloorowneditsarticularcantandshriekasfromasearateandindividualagony。Itseemedincrediblethatallthismaliceandinjuryhadbeenwroughtuontheroombythosewhohadcalleditforatimetheirhome;andyetitmayhavebeenthecheatedhomeinstinctsurvivingblindly,theresentfulrageatfalsehouseholdgodsthathadkindledtheirwrath。Ahutthatisourownwecansweeandadornandcherish。
Theyoungtenantinthechairallowedthesethoughtstofile,soft-shod,throughhismind,whiletheredriftedintotheroomfurnishedsoundsandfurnishedscents。Heheardinoneroomatitteringandincontinent,slacklaughter;inothersthemonologueofascold,therattlingofdice,alullaby,andonecryingdully;abovehimabanjotinkledwithsirit。Doorsbangedsomewhere;theelevatedtrainsroaredintermittently;acatyowledmiserablyuonabackfence。Andhebreathedthebreathofthehouse—adanksavourratherthanasmell—acold,mustyeffluviumasfromundergroundvaultsmingledwiththereekingexhalationsoflinoleumandmildewedandrottenwoodwork。
Then,suddenly,asherestedthere,theroomwasfilledwiththestrong,sweetodourofmignonette。Itcameasuonasinglebuffetofwindwithsuchsurenessandfragranceandemhasisthatitalmostseemedalivingvisitant。Andthemancriedaloud,
"What,dear?
"asifhehadbeencalled,andsranguandfacedabout。Therichodourclungtohimandwraedhimaround。Hereachedouthisarmsforit,allhissensesforthetimeconfusedandcommingled。Howcouldonebeeremtorilycalledbyanodour?Surelyitmusthavebeenasound。But,wasitnotthesoundthathadtouched,thathadcaressedhim?
"Shehasbeeninthisroom,
"hecried,andhesrangtowrestfromitatoken,forheknewhewouldrecognizethesmallestthingthathadbelongedtoherorthatshehadtouched。Thisenveloingscentofmignonette,theodourthatshehadlovedandmadeherown—whencecameit?
Theroomhadbeenbutcarelesslysetinorder。Scattereduontheflimsydresserscarfwerehalfadozenhairins—thosediscreet,indistinguishablefriendsofwomankind,feminineofgender,infiniteofmoodanduncommunicativeoftense。Theseheignored,consciousoftheirtriumhantlackofidentity。Ransackingthedrawersofthedresserhecameuonadiscarded,tiny,raggedhandkerchief。Heressedittohisface。Itwasracyandinsolentwithheliotroe;hehurledittothefloor。Inanotherdrawerhefoundoddbuttons,atheatrerogramme,aawnbrokerscard,twolostmarshmallows,abookonthedivinationofdreams。Inthelastwasawomansblacksatinhairbow,whichhaltedhim,oisedbetweeniceandfire。Buttheblacksatinhairbowalsoisfemininitysdemure,imersonal,commonornament,andtellsnotales。