e wept.

Felicien had taken one of the little hands of Angelique, while in the
other little hand the taper of innocence burned bright and clear.

CHAPTER XVII

The marriage was fixed for the early part of March. But Angelique
remained very feeble, notwithstanding the joy which radiated from her
whole person. She had wished after the first week of her convalescence
to go down to the workroom, persisting in her determination to finish
the panel of embroidery in bas-relief which was to be used for the
Bishop's chair.

"It would be," she said cheerfully, "her last, best piece of work; and
besides, no one ever leaves," she added, "an order only half-completed."

Then exhausted by the effort, she was again forced to keep her chamber.
She lived there, happy and smiling, without regaining the full health
of former times, always white and immaterial as the sacred sacramental
oils; going and coming with a gentle step like that of a vision, and
after having occasionally made the exertion of walking as far as from
her table to the window, finding herself obliged to rest quietly for
hours and give herself up to her sweet thoughts. At length they deferred
the wedding-day, thinking it better to wait for her complete recovery,
which must certainly come if she were well nursed and cared for.

Every afternoon Felicien went up to see her. Hubert and Hubertine were
there, and they passed together most delightful hours, during which they
continually made and re-made the same bright projects. Seated in her
great chair she laughed gaily, seemed trembling with life and vivacity,
as she was the first to talk of the days which would be so well filled
when together they could take long journeys; and of all the unknown
joys that would come to them after they had restored the old Chateau
d'Hautecoeur. Anyone, to have seen her then, would have considered her
saved and regaining her strength in the backward spring, the air of
which, growing warmer and warmer daily, entered by the open window. In
fact, she never fell back into the deep gravities of her dreams, except
when she was entirely alone and was not afraid of being seen. In the
night, voices still appeared to be near her: then it seemed as if the
earth were calling to her; and at last the truth was clearly revealed to
her, so that she fully understood that the miracle was being continued
only for the realisation of her dream. Was she not already dead, having
simply the appearance of l