Simone

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The gist of the story of the Tuscany maid, Simone, which de Musset so charmingly wove into verse, may be given in a few words, since the tale is one of the simplest. Simone is beloved by Pascal, a young craftsman of the town, and hand in hand, the two lovers, accompanied by another couple. Strambe and Lagine, wander through the green meadows listening to the birds and whispering the story of their love. Such recitals need no audience, and so the two couples separate. Strambe and Lagine to seek more noisy amusement, and Simone and Pascal to sit upon the grass. In the course of their talk, Pascal plucks on of the beautiful blossoms of a bush growing near, and places it in his month, still gaily laughing and talking. In a few minutes his face grows livid, his eyes glassy and he falls back dead. The affrighted cries of Simone attract their erstwhile companions and the townspeople to the spot, but their faces grow grave as she recounts her tale; she sees suspicion lurking in their eyes, and presently the little crowd drifts away one by one, leaving only the doctor and a few others to examine the flowers of the bush. Then Simone, already overcome by grief, stealthily approaches the bush, seizes one of the poisonous blossoms, puts it between her pallid lips and in a few minutes the fatal flower has done its work and death has vindicated her.