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profoundly sad and melancholy； the poor girl no longer resembled the
curious； impatient； and impetuous creature who had carried De Marsay
on her wings to transport him to the seventh heaven of love。 There was
something so true in this despair veiled by pleasure； that the
terrible De Marsay felt within him an admiration for this new
masterpiece of nature； and forgot； for the moment； the chief interest
of his assignation。
〃What is the matter with thee； my Paquita？〃
〃My friend；〃 she said； 〃carry me away this very night。 Bear me to some
place where no one can answer： 'There is a girl with a golden gaze
here； who has long hair。' Yonder I will give thee as many pleasures as
thou wouldst have of me。 Then when you love me no longer； you shall
leave me； I shall not complain； I shall say nothing； and your
desertion need cause you no remorse； for one day passed with you； only
one day； in which I have had you before my eyes； will be worth all my
life to me。 But if I stay here； I am lost。〃
〃I cannot leave Paris； little one！〃 replied Henri。 〃I do not belong to
myself； I am bound by a vow to the fortune of several persons who
stand to me； as I do to them。 But I can place you in a refuge in
Paris； where no human power can reach you。〃
〃No；〃 she said； 〃you forget the power of woman。〃
Never did phrase uttered by human voice express terror more
absolutely。
〃What could reach you； then； if I put myself between you and the
world？〃
〃Poison！〃 she said。 〃Dona Concha suspects you already 。 。 。 and；〃 she
resumed； letting the tears fall and glisten on her cheeks； 〃it is easy
enough to see I am no longer the same。 Well； if you abandon me to the
fury of the monster who will destroy me； your holy will be done！ But
come； let there be all the pleasures of life in our love。 Besides； I
will implore； I will weep and cry out and defend myself； perhaps I
shall be saved。〃
〃Whom will your implore？〃 he asked。
〃Silence！〃 said Paquita。 〃If I obtain mercy it will perhaps be on
account of my discretion。〃
〃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