seeing her smile sadly and open her mouth as if to speak。 〃Say
nothing； do not reproach me。 Besides； could you say anything I have
not said myself for the last three hours？ Yes； for three hours； I have
been here； watching you as you slept； so beautiful！ admiring that
pure； peaceful brow。 Yes； yes！ you have always told me your thoughts；
have you not？ I alone am in that soul。 While I look at you； while my
eyes can plunge into yours I see all plainly。 Your life is as pure as
your glance is clear。 No； there is no secret behind those transparent
eyes。〃 He rose and kissed their lids。 〃Let me avow to you； dearest
soul；〃 he said； 〃that for the last five years each day has increased
my happiness； through the knowledge that you are all mine； and that no
natural affection even can take any of your love。 Having no sister； no
father； no mother； no companion； I am neither above nor below any
living being in your heart； I am alone there。 Clemence； repeat to me
those sweet things of the spirit you have so often said to me； do not
blame me； comfort me； I am so unhappy。 I have an odious suspicion on
my conscience； and you have nothing in your heart to sear it。 My
beloved； tell me； could I stay there beside you？ Could two heads
united as ours have been lie on the same pillow when one was suffering
and the other tranquil？ What are you thinking of？〃 he cried abruptly；
observing that Clemence was anxious； confused； and seemed unable to
restrain her tears。
〃I am thinking of my mother；〃 she answered； in a grave voice。 〃You
will never know； Jules； what I suffer in remembering my mother's dying
farewell； said in a voice sweeter than all music； and in feeling the
solemn touch of her icy hand at a moment when you overwhelm me with
those assurances of your precious love。〃
She raised her husband； strained him to her with a nervous force
greater than that of men； and kissed his hair； covering it with tears。
〃Ah！ I would be hacked in pieces for you！ Tell me that I make you
happy； that I am to you the most beautiful of womena thousand women
to you。 Oh！ you are loved as no other man ever was or will be。 I don't
know the meaning of those words 'duty；' 'virtue。' Jules； I love you
for yourself； I am happy in loving you； I shall love you more and more
to my dying day。 I have pride in my love； I feel it is my destiny to
have one sole emotion in my life。 What I shall tell you now is
dreadful； I knowbut I am glad to have no child； I do not wish for
any。 I feel I am more wife than mother。 Well； then； can you fear？
Listen to me； my own beloved； promise to forget； not this hour of
mingled tenderness and doubt； but the words of that madman。 Jules； you
/must/。 Promise me not to see him； not to go to him。 I have a deep
conviction that if you set one foot in that maze we shall both roll
down a precipice where I shall perishbut with your name upon my
lips； your heart in my heart。 Why hold me so high in that heart and
yet so low in reality？ What！ you who give credit to so many as to
money； can you not give me the charity of faith？ And on the first
occasion in our lives when you might prove to me your boundless trust；
do you cast me from my throne in your heart？ Between a madman and me；
it is the madman whom you choose to believe？ oh； Jules！〃 She stopped；
threw back the hair that fell about her brow and neck； and then； in a
heart…rending tone； she added： 〃I have said too much； one word should
suffice。 If your soul and your forehead still keep this cloud； however
light it be； I tell you now that I shall die of it。〃
She could not repress a shudder； and turned pale。
〃Oh！ I will kill that man；〃 thought Jules； as he lifted his wife in
his arms and carried her to her bed。
〃Let us sleep in peace； my angel；〃 he said。 〃I have forgotten all； I
swear it！〃
Clemence fell asleep to the music of those sweet words； softly
repeated。 Jules； as he watched her sleeping； said in his heart：
〃She is right； when love is so pure； suspicion blights it。 To that
young soul； that tender flower； a blightyes； a blight means death。〃
When a cloud comes between two beings filled with affection for each
other and whose lives are in absolute unison； that cloud； though it
may disperse； leaves in those souls a trace of its passage。 Either
love gains a stronger life； as the earth after rain； or the shock
still echoes like distant thunder through a cloudless sky。 It is
impossible to recover absolutely the former life； love will either
increase or diminish。
At breakfast； Monsieur and Madame Jules showed to each other those
particular attentions in which there is always something of
affectation。 There were glances of forced gaiety； which seemed the
efforts of persons endeavoring to deceive themselves。 Jules had
involuntary doubts； his wife had positive fears。 Still； sure of each
other； they had slept。 Was this strained condition the effect of a
want of faith； or was it only a memory of their nocturnal scene？ They
did not know themselves。 But they loved each other so purely that the
impression of that scene； both cruel and beneficent； could not fail to
leave its traces in their souls； both were eager to make those traces
disappear； each striving to be the first to return to the other； and
thus they could not fail to think of the cause of their first
variance。 To loving souls； this is not grief； pain is still far…off；
but it is a sort of mourning； which is difficult to depict。 If there
are； indeed； relations between colors and the emotions of the soul；
if； as Locke's blind man said； scarlet produces on the sight the
effect produced upon the hearing by a blast of trumpets； it is
permissible to compare this reaction of melancholy to mourning tones
of gray。
But even so； love saddened； love in which remains a true sentiment of
its happiness； momentarily troubled though it be； gives enjoyments
derived from pain and pleasure both； which are all novel。 Jules
studied his wife's voice； he watched her glances with the freshness of
feeling that inspired him in the earliest days of his passion for her。
The memory of five absolutely happy years； her beauty； the candor of
her love； quickly effaced in her husband's mind the last vestiges of
an intolerable pain。
The day was Sunday；a day on which there was no Bourse and no
business to be done。 The reunited pair passed the whole day together；
getting farther into each other's hearts than they ever yet had done；
like two children who in a moment of fear； hold each other closely and
cling together； united by an instinct。 There are in this life of two…
in…one completely happy days； the gift of chance； ephemeral flowers；
born neither of yesterday nor belonging to the morrow。 Jules and
Clemence now enjoyed this day as though they forboded it to be the
last of their loving life。 What name shall we give to that mysterious
power which hastens the steps of travellers before the storm is
visible； which makes the life and beauty of the dying so resplendent；
and fills the parting soul with joyous projects for days before death
comes； which tells the midnight student to fill his lamp when it
shines brightest； and makes the mother fear the thoughtful look cast
upon her infant by an observing man？ We all are affected by this
influence in the great catastrophes of life； but it has never yet been
named or studied； it is something more than presentiment； but not as
yet clear vision。
All went well till the following day。 On Monday； Jules Desmarets；
obliged to go to the Bourse on his usual business； asked his wife； as
usual； if she would take advantage of his carriage and let him drive
her anywhere。
〃No；〃 she said； 〃the day is too unpleasant to go out。〃
It was raining in torrents。 At half…past two o'clock Monsieur
Desmarets reached the Treasury。 At four o'clock； as he left the
Bourse； he came face to face with Monsieur de Maulincour； who was
waiting for him with the nervous pertinacity of hatred and vengeance。
〃Monsieur；〃 he said； taking Monsieur Desmarets by the arm； 〃I have
important information to give you。 Listen to me。 I am too loyal a man
to have recourse to anonymous letters with which to trouble your peace
of mind； I prefer to speak to you in person。 Believe me； if my very
life were not concerned； I should not meddle with the private affairs
of any household； even if I thought I had the right to do so。〃
〃If what you have to say to me concerns Madame Desmarets；〃 replied
Jules； 〃I request you to be silent； monsieur。〃
〃If I am silent； monsieur； you may before long see Madame Jules on the
prisoner's bench at the court of assizes beside a convict。 Now； do you
wish me to be silent？〃
Jules turned pale； but his noble face instantly resumed its calmness；
though it was now a false calmness。 Drawing the baron under one of the
temporary sheds of the Bourse； near which they were standing； he said
to him in a voice which concealed his intense inward emotion：
〃Monsieur； I will listen to you； but there will be a duel to the death
between us if〃
〃Oh； to that I consent！〃 cried Monsieur de Maulincour。 〃I have the
greatest esteem for your character。 You speak of death。 You are
unaware that your wife may have assisted in poisoning me last Saturday
night。 Yes； monsieur； since then some extraordinary evil has developed
in me。 My hair appears to distil an inward fever and a deadly languor
through my skull； I know who clutched my hair at that ball。〃
Monsieur de Maulincour then related； without omitting a single fact；
his platonic love for Madame Jules； and the details of the affair in
the rue Soly which began this narrative。 Any one would have listened
to him with attention； but Madame Jules' husband had good reason to be
more amazed than any other human being。 Here his character displayed
itself； he was more amazed than overcome。 Made a judge； and the judge
of an adored woman； he found in his soul the equity of a judge as well
as the inflexibility。 A lover still； he thought less of his own
shattered life than of his wife's life； he listened； not to his own
anguish； but to some far…off voice that cried to him； 〃Clemence cannot
lie！ Why should she betray you？〃
〃Monsieur；〃 said the baron； as he ended； 〃being absolutely certain of
having reco