I have Camus in French, and I do remember I've read the part and he says 'tears' (larmes). Hm. Maybe it's an element of old house decoration I don't know. ­>.> Not that I know much on house decoration to start with.

I think he said that the black (probably drapes/curtains?) and white skulls were sort of 'suspended', but I don't quite remember. I think Michelet is a victim of Fr Rev Historian Crack, which has killed so many brain cells over the last two centuries. -_-