These technical notations, the reading of some verse, trips from his table to his library, had somewhat revived him. Although he felt that the depression might last all day and doubtless many more days, he recovered courage and believed himself fit for some light work. Hubert was not a poet, no more than many others who pretend to the poetic gift. His impressions translated themselves into little notes of analytical prose, not into fixed and exact rhythms; but he had learned the craft, knew the most modern secrets of versification, and in happy hours could, without illusion, fabricate an interesting piece according to the rules. This morning, he succeeded in giving the final details to a diptych whose appearance had heretofore not satisfied him. It was heavy and the hammer beat had shaped it, directed by a hand that was more strong than adroit, but it seemed to him that the metal was good and without cracks. MORITURA Dans la serre torride, une plante exotique Penchante, résignée: éclos hors de saison Deux boutons fléchissaient, l'air grave et mystique; La sève n'était plus pour elle qu'un poison. Et je sentais pourtant de la fleur accablée S'évaporer l'effluve âcre d'un parfum lourd, Mes artères battaient, ma poitrine troublée Haletait, mon regard se voilait, j'étais sourd Dans la chambre, autre fleur, une femme très pale, Les mains lasses, la tête appuyée aux coussins: Elle s'abandonnait: un insensible râle Soulevait tristement la langueur de ses seins. Mais ses cheveux tombant en innombrables boucles Ondulaient sinueux comme un large flot noir Et ses grands yeux brillaient du feu des escarboucles Comme un double fanal dans la brume du soir. Les cheveux m'envoyaient des odeurs énervantes, Pareilles à l'éther qu'aspire un patient, Je perdais peu à peu de mes forces vivantes Et les yeux transperçaient mon coeur inconscient. The afternoon vanished, a very calm night conquered, he found himself astonished at the sudden return of vigor and of capacity for work. Three days after, he had completed "Peacock Plumes" and "The Twenty-Eighth of December;" he reread them, not without suffering from a sense of inmost shame, for although the conception of this last study was anterior to the luckless night, he had not been able, so identically did the situations present themselves, to develop his old idea except by borrowing from his recent adventure.