here and there, amid the
undulations of the tresses. Lulled in that morning torpor, the warm
languor of which is so favorable to soft reveries, Adrienne leaned
with her elbow on the pillow, and her head a little on one side,
which displayed to advantage the ideal contour of her bared neck and
shoulders; her smiling lips, moist and rosy, were, like her cheeks, cold
as if they had just been bathed in ice-water; her snow-white lids
half veiled the large, dark, soft eyes, which now gazed languidly upon
vacancy, and now fixed themselves with pleasure upon the rosy flowers
and green leaves in the basket of camellias. Who can paint the matchless
serenity of Adrienne's awaking--when the fair and chaste soul roused
itself in the fair and chaste body? It was the awakening of a heart as
pure as the fresh and balmy breath of youth, that made her bosom rise
and fall in its white, immaculate purity. What creed, what dogma, what
formula, what religious symbol, oh! paternal and divine Creator! can
ever give a more complete idea of Thy harmonious and ineffable power,
than the image of a young maiden awaking in the bloom of her beauty,
and in all the grace of that modesty with which Thou hast endowed her,
seeking, in her dreamy innocence, for the secret of that celestial
instinct of love, which Thou hast placed in the bosom of all Thy
creatures--oh! Thou whose love is eternal, and goodness infinite!

The confused thoughts which, since her sleep, had appeared gently to
agitate Adrienne, absorbed her more and more; her head resting on her
bosom, her beautiful arm upon the couch, her features without becoming
precisely sad, assumed an expression of touching melancholy. Her dearest
desire was accomplished; she was about to live independent and alone.
But this affectionate, delicate, expansive, and marvellously complete
nature, felt that God had not given her such rare treasures, to bury
them in a cold and selfish solitude. She felt how much that was great
and beautiful might be inspired by love, both in herself, and in
him that should be worthy of her. Confiding in her courage, and the
nobleness of her character, proud of the example that she wished to give
to other women, knowing that all eyes would be fixed enviously upon her,
she felt, as it were, only too sure of herself; far from fearing that
she should make a bad choice, she rather feared, that she should not
find any from whom to choose, so pure and perfect was her taste. And,
even ha