"What, Madame?" he demanded, in a strange tone.

"Heavens!--in fact-nothing!" said she, "for this is a declaration of
friendship, I suppose--and your friendship gives me much pleasure."

He let go her arm at once, and in a hoarse and angry voice said--
"I am not your friend!"

"What are you then, Monsieur?"

Her voice was calm, but she recoiled a few steps, and leaned against one
of the trees which bordered the road. The explosion so long pent up
burst forth, and a flood of words poured from the young man's lips with
inexpressible impetuosity.

"What I am I know not! I no longer know whether I am myself--if I am
dead or alive--if I am good or bad--whether I am dreaming or waking. Oh,
Madame, what I wish is that the day may never rise again--that this night
would never finish--that I should wish to feel always--always--in my
head, my heart, my entire being--that which I now feel, near you--of you
--for you! I should wish to be stricken with some sudden illness,
without hope, in order to be watched and wept for by you, like those
children--and to be embalmed in your tears; and to see you bowed down in
terror before me is horrible to me! By the name of your God, whom you
have made me respect, I swear you are sacred to me--the child in the arms
of its mother is not more so!"

"I have no fear," she murmured.

"Oh, no!--have no fear!" he repeated in a tone of voice infinitely