g
her also inhale some salts which he found upon the toilet table in the
next room. Little by little, these attentions produced an effect; the
nervous convulsion became less frequent and a slight flush suffused her
pale cheeks. She opened her eyes and then closed them, as if the light
troubled them; then, extending her arms, she passed them about Octave's
neck as he leaned over her; she remained thus for some time, breathing
quietly and to all appearances sleeping. Suddenly she said:

"You will give me your pin, will you not?"

"Is not all that I have yours?" he replied, in a low tone.

"Mine!" she continued, in a feebly loving voice; "tell me again that you
belong to me, to me alone, Octave!"

"You do not send me away any longer, then? you like me to be near you?"
he said, with a happy smile, as he kissed the young woman's brow.

"Oh! stay, I beg of you! stay with me forever!"

She folded her arms more tightly around him, as if she feared he might
leave her. Suddenly she sat up, opened her eyes, and gazed about her in
silent astonishment.

"What has happened?" said she, "and how is it that you are here? Ah!
this is dreadful indeed; you have cruelly punished me for my weakness."

This sudden severity after her delicious abandon, changed Octave's
pleasure into angry vexation.

"You are the one," he replied, "who are cruel! Why allow me so much
bliss, if you intended to take it away from me so soon? Since you love
me only in your dreams, I beg of you to go to sleep again and never
awaken. I will stay near you. Your words were so sweet, but a moment
ago, and now you deny them!"

"What did I say?" she asked, with hesitation, a deep blush suffusing her
face and neck.

These symptoms, which he considered a bad augury, increased Octave's
irritation. He arose and said in a bitter tone:

"Fear nothing! I will not abuse the words which have escaped you,
however flattering or charming they may have been; they told me that you
loved me. I do not believe it any longer; you are agitated, I can see;
but it is from fear and not love."

Clemence drew herself up upon the divan, crossed her arms over her
breast and gazed at him for a few moments in silence.

"Do you believe these two sentiments incompatible?" she asked at last;
"you are the only one whom I fear. Others would not complain."

There was such irresistible charm in her voice and glance that Gerfaut's
ill-humor melted away like ice in the sun's rays. He fell u