chapter 6

, Des Esseintes is relaxing in a wing-chair in front of the fire, remembering an event. One evening in the Rue de Rivoli he had befriended a young man, taken him to an expensive brothel, and paid for his entertainment. He had explained to the madam how he planned to turn the innocent young man into a murderer: by paying for regular visits and making him accustomed to a luxury he could not afford, then after three months stopping all payment. To maintain his habit, he would be driven to burglary, and perhaps kill someone who happened upon him. Des Esseintes' reflections have only the regret that he did not pursue his scheme closely enough to ensure its success.

Near the end of