〃Give me my robe；〃 said Henri； insidiously。
〃No； no！〃 she answered quickly； 〃be what you are； one of those angels
whom I have been taught to hate； and in whom I only saw ogres； whilst
you are what is fairest under the skies；〃 she said； caressing Henri's
hair。 〃You do not know how silly I am。 I have learned nothing。 Since I
was twelve years old I have been shut up without ever seeing any one。
I can neither read nor write； I can only speak English and Spanish。〃
〃How is it； then； that you receive letters from London？〃
〃My letters？ 。 。 。 See； here they are！〃 she said； proceeding to take
some papers out of a tall Japanese vase。
She offered De Marsay some letters； in which the young man saw； with
surprise； strange figures； similar to those of a rebus； traced in
blood； and illustrating phrases full of passion。
〃But；〃 he cried； marveling at these hieroglyphics created by the
alertness of jealousy； 〃you are in the power of an infernal genius？〃
〃Infernal；〃 she repeated。
〃But how； then； were you able to get out？〃
〃Ah！〃 she said； 〃that was my ruin。 I drove Dona Concha to choose
between the fear of immediate death and anger to be。 I had the
curiosity of a demon； I wished to break the bronze circle which they
had described between creation and me； I wished to see what young
people were like； for I knew nothing of man except the Marquis and
Cristemio。 Our coachman and the lackey who accompanies us are old
men。 。 。 。〃
〃But you were not always thus shut up？ Your health 。 。 。 ？〃
〃Ah；〃 she answered； 〃we used to walk； but it was at night and in the
country； by the side of the Seine； away from people。〃
〃Are you not proud of being loved like that？〃
〃No；〃 she said； 〃no longer。 However full it be； this hidden life is
but darkness in comparison with the light。〃
〃What do you call the light？〃
〃Thee； my lovely Adolphe！ Thee； for whom I would give my life。 All the
passionate things that have been told me； and that I have inspired； I
feel for thee！ For a certain time I understood nothing of existence；
but now I know what love is； and hitherto I have been the loved one
only； for myself； I did not love。 I would give up everything for you；
take me away。 If you like； take me as a toy； but let me be near you
until you break me。〃
〃You will have no regrets？〃
〃Not one〃！ she said； letting him read her eyes； whose golden tint was
pure and clear。
〃Am I the favored one？〃 said Henri to himself。 If he suspected the
truth； he was ready at that time to pardon the offence in view of a
love so single minded。 〃I shall soon see；〃 he thought。
If Paquita owed him no account of the past； yet the least recollection
of it became in his eyes a crime。 He had therefore the sombre strength
to withhold a portion of his thought； to study her； even while
abandoning himself to the most enticing pleasures that ever peri
descended from the skies had devised for her beloved。
Paquita seemed to have been created for love by a particular effort of
nature。 In a night her feminine genius had made the most rapid
progress。 Whatever might be the power of this young man； and his
indifference in the matter of pleasures； in spite of his satiety of
the previous night； he found in the girl with the golden eyes that
seraglio which a loving woman knows how to create and which a man
never refuses。 Paquita responded to that passion which is felt by all
really great men for the infinitethat mysterious passion so
dramatically expressed in Faust； so poetically translated in Manfred；
and which urged Don Juan to search the heart of women； in his hope to
find there that limitless thought in pursuit of which so many hunters
after spectres have started； which wise men think to discover in
science； and which mystics find in God alone。 The hope of possessing
at last the ideal being with whom the struggle could be constant and
tireless ravished De Marsay； who； for the first time for long； opened
his heart。 His nerves expanded； his coldness was dissipated in the
atmosphere of that ardent soul； his hard and fast theories melted
away； and happiness colored his existence to the tint of the rose and
white boudoir。 Experiencing the sting of a higher pleasure； he was
carried beyond the limits within which he had hitherto confined
passion。 He would not be surpassed by this girl； whom a somewhat
artificial love had formed all ready for the needs of his soul； and
then he found in that vanity which urges a man to be in all things a
victor； strength enough to tame the girl； but； at the same time； urged
beyond that line where the soul is mistress over herself； he lost
himself in these delicious limboes； which the vulgar call so foolishly
〃the imaginary regions。〃 He was tender； kind； and confidential。 He
affected Paquita almost to madness。
〃Why should we not go to Sorrento； to Nice； to Chiavari； and pass all
our life so？ Will you？〃 he asked of Paquita； in a penetrating voice。
〃Was there need to say to me： 'Will you'？〃 she cried。 〃Have I a will？
I am nothing apart from you； except in so far as I am a pleasure for
you。 If you would choose a retreat worthy of us； Asia is the only
country where love can unfold his wings。 。 。 。〃
〃You are right；〃 answered Henri。 〃Let us go to the Indies； there where
spring is eternal； where the earth grows only flowers； where man can
display the magnificence of kings and none shall say him nay； as in
the foolish lands where they would realize the dull chimera of
equality。 Let us go to the country where one lives in the midst of a
nation of slaves； where the sun shines ever on a palace which is
always white； where the air sheds perfumes； the birds sing of love and
where； when one can love no more； one dies。 。 。 。〃
〃And where one dies together！〃 said Paquita。 〃But do not let us start
to…morrow； let us start this moment 。 。 。 take Cristemio。〃
〃Faith！ pleasure is the fairest climax of life。 Let us go to Asia； but
to start； my child； one needs much gold； and to have gold one must set
one's affairs in order。〃
She understood no part of these ideas。
〃Gold！ There is a pile of it hereas high as that；〃 she said holding
up her hand。
〃It is not mine。〃
〃What does that matter？〃 she went on； 〃if we have need of it let us
take it。〃
〃It does not belong to you。〃
〃Belong！〃 she repeated。 〃Have you not taken me？ When we have taken it；
it will belong to us。〃
He gave a laugh。
〃Poor innocent！ You know nothing of the world。〃
〃Nay； but this is what I know；〃 she cried； clasping Henri to her。
At the very moment when De Marsay was forgetting all； and conceiving
the desire to appropriate this creature forever； he received in the
midst of his joy a dagger…thrust； which Paquita； who had lifted him
vigorously in the air； as though to contemplate him； exclaimed： 〃Oh；
Margarita！〃
〃Margarita！〃 cried the young man； with a roar； 〃now I know all that I
still tried to disbelieve。〃
He leaped upon the cabinet in which the long poniard was kept。 Happily
for Paquita and for himself； the cupboard was shut。 His fury waxed at
this impediment； but he recovered his tranquillity； went and found his
cravat； and advanced towards her with an air of such ferocious meaning
that； without knowing of what crime she had been guilty； Paquita
understood； none the less； that her life was in question。 With one
bound she rushed to the other end of the room to escape the fatal knot
which De Marsay tried to pass round her neck。 There was a struggle。 On
either side there was an equality of strength； agility； and
suppleness。 To end the combat Paquita threw between the legs of her
lover a cushion which made him fall； and profited by the respite which
this advantage gave to her； to push the button of the spring which
caused the bell to ring。 Promptly the mulatto arrived。 In a second
Cristemio leaped on De Marsay and held him down with one foot on his
chest； his heel turned towards the throat。 De Marsay realized that； if
he struggled； at a single sign from Paquita he would be instantly
crushed。
〃Why did you want to kill me； my beloved？〃 she said。 De Marsay made no
reply。
〃In what have I angered you？〃 she asked。 〃Speak； let us understand
each other。〃
Henri maintained the phlegmatic attitude of a strong man who feels
himself vanquished； his countenance； cold； silent； entirely English；
revealed the consciousness of his dignity in a momentary resignation。
Moreover； he had already thought； in spite of the vehemence of his
anger； that it was scarcely prudent to compromise himself with the law
by killing this girl on the spur of the moment； before he had arranged
the murder in such a manner as should insure his impunity。
〃My beloved；〃 went on Paquita； 〃speak to me； do not leave me without
one loving farewell！ I would not keep in my heart the terror which you
have just inspired in it。 。 。 。 Will you speak？〃 she said； stamping
her foot with anger。
De Marsay； for all reply； gave her a glance； which signified so
plainly； 〃/You must die！/〃 that Paquita threw herself upon him。
〃Ah； well； you want to kill me！ 。 。 。 If my death can give you any
pleasurekill me！〃
She made a sign to Cristemio； who withdrew his foot from the body of
the young man； and retired without lett