CONTENTS

[PART I]
CHAP.PAGE
I.THE DINNER AT MADAME PILOU’S[3]
II.A PARTIAL CONFESSION[22]
III.A SUPPLEMENT TO THE CONFESSION[34]
IV.THE SIN OF NARCISSUS[48]
V.AN INVITATION[63]
VI.THE GRECIAN PROTOTYPE[72]
VII.THE MERCHANTS OF DAMASCUS AND DAN[77]
VIII.‘RITE DE PASSAGE’[84]
IX.AT THE HÔTEL DE RAMBOUILLET[94]
X.AFTERWARDS[115]
XI.REBUILDING THE HOUSE OF CARDS[122]
[PART II]
XII.THE FÊTE-DIEU[129]
XIII.ROBERT PILOU’S SCREEN[133]
XIV.A DEMONSTRATION IN FAITH[141]
XV.MOLOCH[148]
XVI.A VISIT TO THE ABBAYE OF PORT-ROYAL[154]
XVII.‘HYLAS, THE MOCKING SHEPHERD’[166]
XVIII.A DISAPPOINTMENT[171]
XIX.THE PLEASURES OF DESPAIR[178]
XX.FRESH HOPE[185]
[PART III]
XXI.‘WHAT IS CARTESIANISM?’[191]
XXII.BEES-WAX[195]
XXIII.MADEMOISELLE DE SCUDÉRY’S SATURDAY[200]
XXIV.SELF-IMPOSED SLAVERY[216]
XXV.THE SYMMETRY OF THE COMIC MUSE[219]
XXVI.BERTHE’S STORY[224]
XXVII.THE CHRISTIAN VENUS[231]
XXVIII.THE ASCENT OF MOUNT CARMEL[ 237]
XXIX.THE BODY OF THE DRAGON[243]
XXX.A JAR[244]
XXXI.THE END OF THE ‘ROMAN’[248]
XXXII.‘UN CADEAU’[255]
XXXIII.FACE TO FACE WITH FACTS[267]
XXXIV.OUT INTO THE VOID[273]
EPILOGUE.THE RAPE TO THE LOVE OF INVISIBLE THINGS[275]