taken of delivering
up to her absolutely and without reserve his heart and life, and to enjoy
in these solitudes his first taste of true happiness. Surprised at the
cold distraction with which his young wife replied to the affectionate
gayety of his language, he redoubled his efforts to bring their
conversation to a tone of more intimacy and confidence. While stopping at
intervals to point out to her some effects of light and shadow in their
walk, he began to question her on her recent trip to Paris, and on the
persons she had seen there. She named Madame Jaubert and a few others;
then, lowering her voice against her will, mentioned Madame de la
Roche-Jugan.

"That one," said Camors, "you could very well have dispensed with. I
forgot to warn you that I no longer recognize her."

"Why?" asked she, timidly.

"Because she is a bad woman," said Camors. "When we are a little more
intimate with each other, you and I," he added, laughing, "I shall edify
you on this character, I shall tell you all--all, understand."

There was so much of nature, and even of goodness in the accent with
which he pronounced these words, that the Countess felt her heart half
comforted from the oppression which had weighed it down. She gave herself
up with more abandon to the gracious advances of her husband and to the
slight incidents of her walk.

The phantoms disappeared little by little from her mind, and she began to
say to herself that she had been the sport of a bad dream, and of a true
madness, when a singular change in her husband's face renewed all her
terrors. M. de Camors, in his turn, had become absent and visibly
preoccupied with some grave care. He spoke with an effort, made half
replies, meditated; then stopped quickly to look around him, like a
frightened child. These strange ways, so different from his former
temper, alarmed the young woman, the more so as she just then found
herself in the most distant part of the wood.

There was an extraordinary similarity in the thoughts which occupied them
both. At the moment when Madame Camors was trembling for fear near her
husband, he was trembling for her.

He thought he detected that they were followed; at different times he
thought he heard in the thicket the cracking of branches, rattling of
leaves, and finally the sound of stealthy steps. These noises always
ceased on his stopping, and began again the moment he resumed his walk.
He thought, a moment later, he saw the shadow of