THE FEAR OF LIVING THE FEAR OF LIVING (La Peur de Vivre) BY HENRY BORDEAUX AUTHORIZED ENGLISH VERSION BY RUTH HELEN DAVIS NEW YORK E·P·DUTTON & COMPANY PUBLISHERS COPYRIGHT, 1913 BY E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY TO THE HALLOWED MEMORY OF ANOTHER MOTHER WHO KNEW HOW TO SACRIFICE FOR HER CHILDREN THIS TRANSLATION IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED BY HER DAUGHTER RUTH HELEN DAVIS CONTENTS PAGE FOREWORD i PREFACE v PART I CHAPTER I MARCEL’S HOMECOMING 1 II BROTHER AND SISTER 26 III THE BATTLE OF FLOWERS 47 IV A MORNING AT LA CHÊNAIE 63 V ALICE’S SECRET 85 VI MONSIEUR AND MADAME DULAURENS 106 VII THE PROPOSAL 127 VIII THE CONSPIRATORS 148 IX THE FAREWELL 167 X MARCEL’S DEPARTURE 177 PART II I THIRTEEN AT TABLE 191 II THE POLICEMAN’S MESSAGE 219 III NIOBE 240 IV THE PAGEANTRY OF DEATH 252 V JEAN 276 VI ISABELLE 296 VII PAULE’S SECRET 315 VIII MADAME GUIBERT 335 IX THE MIRACLE OF THE ROSES 348 X NIOBE’S LAST CHILD 360 XI PEACE 376 FOREWORD M. Henry Bordeaux’s latest novel, “The Fear of Living,” appeared several months ago, at a season when the “summer novel” was flourishing. That season belongs to the big purveyors of commercial literature and is not the time at which to speak of a real writer. I have, therefore, purposely postponed until to-day my few words about this book, which both public and press have welcomed warmly, but without sufficiently marking its true place. It is one of the best novels that has appeared for a long time. It contrasts, by its vivid originality, with everything that the storytellers of to-day give us. It is a new and daring departure.