ve abused your confidence," I continued. "Esteem ought to be my
only feeling for the wife of my friend. I have acted dishonourably."

"So have I," she added in a whisper.

"Alas! madame, I feel I am too little master of myself;--nay, who could
be so in your presence? But, should it cost my life, I will not
disturb your peace of mind. My resolution is unalterably taken. I
have discovered my innermost heart to your husband."

"Discovered!" she exclaimed, terrified; "and he--?"

"He at first changed colour."

"He changed colour?" she faltered.

"But with confidence in you, madame, and with a confidence greater than
my virtue, he wished to dissuade me from my intention of leaving
Montpellier."

"Was that your intention, Alamontade?"

"It is still so. I love you, madame; but you are Bertollon's wife, and
I will not disturb the peace of a family to which I am indebted for a
thousand benefits."

"You are a noble man," said she, shedding tears. "You intend doing
what I was resolved to do. My clothes are ready packed. I must and
will not conceal from you, Alamontade, that I wish I had never known
you. Our friendship grew into love. I deceived myself in vain, and
struggled too late against my violent feelings."

She sobbed more violently, and exclaimed, "Yes, it is better thus! We
must part, but not for ever. No! only until our hearts beat more
calmly, until we can meet with cooler friendship."

At these words I was deeply moved.

"But, alas! kind friend," she continued, still sobbing, and throwing
herself on my bosom, "I shall not long survive this separation."

While her heart beat against mine, and our passion was rekindled, and
our sense of duty was struggling for victory, the hours fled quickly.
We vowed eternal, pure, sacred love, and yet swore to extinguish it in
our hearts. We resolved to separate, to see each other seldom, and
then only with calmness, and in the presence of witnesses, and sealed
the indissoluble alliance of our souls with rapturous kisses.

What a wretched creature is man! He is ever weakest when he thinks
himself strongest. He who flees temptation is the hero; he who
wantonly runs into it to attain the crown of virtue has lost it before
he begins the combat.

When we parted, we agreed that I should not go farther than a league
from Montpellier. I was to live at the chateau near Castelnau, and
only to come to town on an occasional visit. Without delay I executed
my de