otte, from the willows, the grasses,
and bushes, the young girl heard the dreams which came back to her, the
hopes, the desires, the visions, all that which she had put of herself
into inanimate objects as she saw them daily, and which they now
returned to her. Never had the voices of the Invisible unknown spoken
so clearly. She listened to them as they came from afar, recognising
particularly in this warm, beautiful night, so calm that there was not
the slightest movement in the air, the delicate sound which she was
wont to call the fluttering of the robe of Agnes, when her dear guardian
angel came to her side. She laughed quietly to know that she was now by
her, and waiting with the others who were near her.

Time passed, but it did not seem long to Angelique. She was quite
conscious of what was passing around her. It appeared to her perfectly
natural, and exactly as it had been foretold, when at last she saw
Felicien striding over the balustrade of the balcony.

His tall figure came out in full relief before the background of the
white sky; he did not approach the open window, but remained in its
luminous shadow.

"Do not be afraid. It is I. I have come to see you."

She was not in the slightest way alarmed; she simply thought that he was
exact to the hour of meeting, and said calmly:

"You mounted by the timber framework, did you not?"

"Yes, by the framework."

The idea of this way made her laugh, and he himself was amused by it.
He had in fact pulled himself up by the pent-house shed; then, climbing
along the principal rafters from there, whose ends were supported by the
string-course of the first story, he had without difficulty reached the
balcony.

"I was expecting you. Will you not come nearer me?"

Felicien, who had arrived in a state of anger, not knowing how he had
dared to come, but with many wild ideas in his head, did not move, so
surprised and delighted was he by this unexpected reception. As he had
come at last, Angelique was now certain that the saints did not prohibit
her from loving, for she heard them welcoming him with her by a laugh as
delicate as a breath of the night. Where in the world had she ever found
so ridiculous an idea as to think that Agnes would be angry with her! On
the contrary, Agnes was radiant with a joy that she felt as it descended
on her shoulders and enveloped her like a caress from two great wings.
All those who had died for love showed great compassion for youthfu