Prev | Current Page 718 | Next

?‰mile, 1840-1902

"Four Short Stories By Emile Zola"

She
pushed back the two flaps of the door and shouted:
"So much the worse for you! It's your fault. Is that the way to come
into a room? I've had enough of this sort of thing. Ta ta!"
Muffat remained standing before the closed door, thunderstruck by what
he had just seen. His shuddering fit increased. It mounted from his feet
to his heart and brain. Then like a tree shaken by a mighty wind, he
swayed to and fro and dropped on his knees, all his muscles giving way
under him. And with hands despairingly outstretched he stammered:
"This is more than I can bear, my God! More than I can bear!"
He had accepted every situation but he could do so no longer. He had
come to the end of his strength and was plunged in the dark void where
man and his reason are together overthrown. In an extravagant access of
faith he raised his hands ever higher and higher, searching for heaven,
calling on God.
"Oh no, I do not desire it! Oh, come to me, my God! Succor me; nay, let
me die sooner! Oh no, not that man, my God! It is over; take me, carry
me away, that I may not see, that I may not feel any longer! Oh, I
belong to you, my God! Our Father which art in heaven--"
And burning with faith, he continued his supplication, and an ardent
prayer escaped from his lips.


Pages:
706 707 708 709 710 711 712 713 714 715 716 717 718 719 720 721 722 723 724 725 726 727 728 729 730