茶花女

　　These unfortunate creatures whenever they go out are always accompanied by somebody or other.　　As no man cares to make himself conspicuous by being seen in their company， and as they are afraid of solitude， they take with them either those who are not well enough off to have a camage， or one or another of those elegant， ancient ladies， whose elegance is a little inexplicable， and to whom one can always go for information in regard to the women whom they accompany.　　In Marguerite's case it was quite different. She was always alsone when she drove in the Champs-Elysees，lying back in her carriage as much as possible， dressed in furs in winter， and in summer wearmg very simple dresses; and though she often passed people whom she knew， her smile，when she chose to smile， was seen only by them， and a duchess might have smiled in just　　such a manner. She did not drive to and fro like the others， from the Rond-Point to the end of the Champs Elysees. She drove straight to the Bois. There she left her carriage， walked for an hour， returned to her carriage， and drove rapidly home.　　All these circumstances which I had so often witnessed came back to my memory， and I regretted her death as one might regret the destruction of a beautiful work of art.　　It was impossible to see more charm in beauty than in that of Marguerite. Excessively tall and thin， she had in the fullest degree the art of repairing this oversight of Nature by the mere arrangement of the things she wore. Her cashmere reached to the ground，and showed on each side the large flounces of a silk dress， and the heavy muff which she held pressed against her bosom was surrounded by such cunningly arranged folds that the eye， however exacting， could find no fault with the contour of the lines. Her head， a marvel， was the object of the most coquettish care.It was small， and her mother， as Musset would say，　　……