, and sorrow,
an inexpressible tenderness--and I have come here--to die!

"Here, in this chamber," he continued, "the heaven of my burning
visions!" And then he added, with a heartrending accent, as he again
buried his face in his hands, "Dead! dead!"

"Well! I too shall soon be dead," he resumed, in a firmer voice.
"But, no! I will die slowly, gradually. A few drops of the poison will
suffice; and, when I am quite certain of dying, my remorse will perhaps
be less terrible. Yesterday, she pressed my hand when we parted. Who
could have foretold me this?" The Indian raised the phial resolutely to
his lips. He drank a few drops of the liquor it contained, and replaced
it on a little ivory table close to Adrienne's bed.

"This liquor is sharp and hot," said he. "Now I am certain to die. Oh!
that I may still have time to feast on the sight and perfume of this
chamber--to lay my dying head on the couch where she has reposed."

Djalma fell on his knees beside the bed, and leaned against it his
burning brow. At this moment, the ivory door, which communicated with
the bath-room, rolled gently on its hinges, and Adrienne entered. The
young lady had just sent away her woman, who had assisted to undress
her. She wore a long muslin wrapper of lustrous whiteness. Her golden
hair, neatly arranged in little plaits, formed two bands, which gave
to her sweet face an extremely juvenile air. Her snowy complexion was
slightly tinged with rose-color, from the warmth of the perfumed bath,
which she used for a few seconds every evening. When she opened the
ivory door, and placed her little naked foot, in its white satin
slipper, upon the ermine carpet, Adrienne was dazzlingly beautiful.
Happiness sparkled in her eyes, and adorned her brow. All the
difficulties relative to her union with Djalma had now been removed. In
two days she would be his. The sight of the nuptial chamber oppressed
her with a vague and ineffable languor. The ivory door had been opened
so gently, the lady's first steps were so soft upon the fur carpet, that
Djalma, still leaning against the bed, had heard nothing. But suddenly a
cry of surprise and alarm struck upon his ear. He turned round abruptly.
Adrienne stood before him.

With an impulse of modesty, Adrienne closed her nightdress over her
bosom, and hastily drew back, still more afflicted than angry at what
she considered a guilty attempt on the part of Djalma. Cruelly hurt
and offended, she was about to reproac