He realized it: he gnawed his nails, and exhausted himself in vain efforts. He grew perceptibly thinner. Now the jokers asked him to tell the story of "The Piece of String" for their amusement, as a soldier who has seen service is asked to tell about his battles. His mind, attacked at its source, grew feebler. Late in December he took to his bed. In the first days of January he died, and in his delirium, of the death agony, he protested his innocence, repeating: "A little piece of string—a little piece of string—see, here it is, m'sieu' mayor." NOTES [1] _The Piece of String_ was written in 1884. Reprinted from _Little French Masterpieces_, by permission of the publishers, _G.P. Putnam's Sons_. [2] 34:5 char-à-bancs. A pleasure car. [3] 35:26 Angelus. A bell tolled at morning, noon, and night, according to the Roman Catholic Church custom, to indicate the time of the service of song and recitation in memory of the Virgin Mary. The name is taken from the first word of the recitation. [4] 35:30 cabriolet. A cab. Originally a light, one-horse pleasure carriage with two seats. [5] 35:30 tilbury. An old form of gig, seating two persons. [6] 37:20 petit verre. Little glass. BIOGRAPHY Henri René Albert Guy de Maupassant, French novelist, dramatist, and short-story writer, was born in 1850. Until he was thirteen years old he had no teacher except his mother, who personally superintended the training of her two sons. Life for the two boys, during these early years, was free and happy, Guy was a strong and robust Norman, overflowing with animal spirits and exuberant with the joy of youthful life. When thirteen years of age Maupassant attended the seminary at Yvetot, where he found school life irksome and a most distasteful contrast to his former free life. Later he became a student in the Lycée in Rouen. His experience as a student here was very pleasant, and he easily acquired his degree. In 1870 he was appointed to a clerkship in the Navy, and a little later to a more lucrative position in the Department of Public Instruction. His work in these two positions suffered very materially because of his negligence and daily practice in writing verses and essays for Flaubert, the most careful literary technicist in the history of literature, to criticize. For seven years Maupassant served this severe task-master, always writing, receiving criticisms, and publishing nothing. Immediately after the publication of his first story Maupassant was hailed as a finished master artist. From 1880 to 1890 he published six novels, sixteen volumes of short-stories, three volumes of travels, and many newspaper articles. This gigantic task was performed only because of his regular habits and splendid physique. He wrote regularly every morning from seven o'clock until noon, and at night always wrote out notes on the impressions from his experiences of the day.