At last I was able to distinguish myself completely, as I do every day when I look at myself.

I had seen it!  And the horror of it remained with me and makes me shudder even now.

August 20th.  How could I kill it, as I could not get hold of it?  Poison?  But it would see me mix it with the water; and then, would our poisons have any effect on its impalpable body?  No ... no ... no doubt about the matter....  Then?... then?...

August 21st.  I sent for a blacksmith from Rouen, and ordered iron shutters of him for my room, such as some private hotels in Paris have on the ground floor, for fear of thieves, and he is going to make me a similar door as well.  I have made myself out as a coward, but I do not care about that!...

September 10th.  Rouen, Hotel Continental.  It is done; ... it is done ... but is he dead?  My mind is thoroughly upset by what I have seen.

Well, then, yesterday the locksmith having put on the iron shutters and door, I left everything open until midnight, although it was getting cold.

Suddenly I felt that he was there, and joy, mad joy, took possession of me.  I got up softly, and I walked to the right and left for some time, so that he might not guess anything; then I took off my boots and put on my slippers carelessly; then I fastened the iron shutters and going back to the door quickly I double-locked it with a padlock, putting the key into my pocket.

Suddenly I noticed that he was moving restlessly round me, that in his turn he was frightened and was ordering me to let him out.  I nearly yielded, though I did not yet, but putting my back to the door I half opened it, just enough to allow me to go out backward, and as I am very tall, my head touched the lintel.  I was sure that he had not been able to escape, and I shut him up quite alone, quite alone.  What happiness!  I had him fast.  Then I ran downstairs; in the drawing-room, which was under my bedroom, I took the two lamps and I poured all the oil onto the carpet, the furniture, everywhere; then I set fire to it and made my escape, after having carefully double-locked the door.

I went and hid myself at the bottom of the garden in a clump of laurel bushes.  How long it was! how long it was!  Everything was dark, silent, motionless, not a breath of air and not a star, but heavy banks of clouds which one could not see, but which weighed, oh! so heavily on my soul.

I looked at my house and waited.  How long it was!  I already began to think that the fire had gone out of its own accord, or that he had extinguished it, when one of the lower windows gave way under the violence of the flames, and a long, soft, caressing sheet of red flame mounted up the white wall and kissed it as high as the roof.  The light fell onto the trees, the branches, and the leaves, and a shiver of fear pervaded them also!  The birds awoke; a dog began to howl, and it seemed to me as if the day were breaking!  Almost immediately two other windows flew into fragments, and I saw that the whole of the lower part of my house was nothing but a terrible furnace.  But a cry, a horrible, shrill, heartrending cry, a woman’s cry, sounded through the night, and two garret windows were opened!  I had forgotten the servants!  I saw the terrorstruck faces, and their frantically waving arms!...