he had drawn her
little feet. I saw her--but, no, I saw nothing. My throat was suddenly
parched, I could not utter a word. A fragrance of myrrh and aromatic
perfumes which emanated from her seemed to intoxicate me with languor
and longing, as if at once all the odours of the mystic East had
penetrated my quivering nostrils. No, this was certainly not a natural
woman, for nothing human seemed to emanate from her. Her face expressed
no emotion, either good or bad, beyond a voluptuousness at once sensual
and divine. She doubtless noticed my suffering, for she asked with a
voice as clear as the ripple of a mountain brook:

"'What ails you?'

"I threw myself in tears at her feet and cried, 'I love you madly!'"

"She opened her arms; then enfolding me with a lingering glance of her
candid and voluptuous eyes:

"'Why have you not told me this before?'

"Indescribable moment! I held Leila in my arms. It seemed as if we two
together had been transported to Heaven and filled all its spaces. I
felt myself become the equal of God, and my breast seemed to enfold
all the beauty of earth and the harmonies of nature--the stars and the
flowers, the forests that sing, the rivers and the deep seas. I had
enfolded the infinite in a kiss...."

At these words Monsieur Safrac, who had listened to me for some moments
with growing impatience, rose, and standing before the fireplace, lifted
his cassock to his knees to warm his legs and said with a severity which
came near being disdain:

"You are a wretched blasphemer, and instead of despising your crimes,
you only confess them because of your pride and delight in them. I will
listen no more."

At these words I burst into tears and begged his forgiveness.
Recognising that my humility was sincere, he desired me to continue my
confession on condition that I realised my own self-abasement.

I continued my story as follows, determined to make it as brief as
possible:

"My father, I was torn by remorse when I left Leila. But, from the
following day on, she came to me, and then began a life which tortured
me with joy and anguish. I was jealous of Paul, whom I had betrayed, and
I suffered cruelly.

"I do not believe that there is a more debasing evil than jealousy, nor
one which fills the soul with more degrading thoughts. Even to console
me Leila scorned to lie. Besides, her conduct was incomprehensible. I do
not forget to whom I am speaking, and I shall be careful not to offend
the ear