This day, so marked in my life, lacked no circumstance that was needed to solemnize it.  Nature was adorned like a woman to meet her lover.  My soul heard her voice for the first time; my eyes worshipped her, as fruitful, as varied as my imagination had pictured her in those school-dreams the influence of which I have tried in a few unskilful words to explain to you, for they were to me an Apocalypse in which my life was figuratively foretold; each event, fortunate or unfortunate, being mated to some one of these strange visions by ties known only to the soul.

We crossed a court-yard surrounded by buildings necessary for the farm work,—­a barn, a wine-press, cow-sheds, and stables.  Warned by the barking of the watch-dog, a servant came to meet us, saying that Monsieur le comte had gone to Azay in the morning but would soon return, and that Madame la comtesse was at home.  My companion looked at me.  I fairly trembled lest he should decline to see Madame de Mortsauf in her husband’s absence; but he told the man to announce us.  With the eagerness of a child I rushed into the long antechamber which crosses the whole house.

“Come in, gentlemen,” said a golden voice.

Though Madame de Mortsauf had spoken only one word at the ball, I recognized her voice, which entered my soul and filled it as a ray of sunshine fills and gilds a prisoner’s dungeon.  Thinking, suddenly, that she might remember my face, my first impulse was to fly; but it was too late,—­she appeared in the doorway, and our eyes met.  I know not which of us blushed deepest.  Too much confused for immediate speech she returned to her seat at an embroidery frame while the servant placed two chairs, then she drew out her needle and counted some stitches, as if to explain her silence; after which she raised her head, gently yet proudly, in the direction of Monsieur de Chessel as she asked to what fortunate circumstance she owed his visit.  Though curious to know the secret of my unexpected appearance, she looked at neither of us,—­her eyes were fixed on the river; and yet you could have told by the way she listened that she was able to recognize, as the blind do, the agitations of a neighboring soul by the imperceptible inflexions of the voice.

Monsieur de Chessel gave my name and biography.  I had lately arrived at Tours, where my parents had recalled me when the armies threatened Paris.  A son of Touraine to whom Touraine was as yet unknown, she would find me a young man weakened by excessive study and sent to Frapesle to amuse himself; he had already shown me his estate, which I saw for the first time.  I had just told him that I had walked from Tours to Frapesle, and fearing for my health—­which was really delicate—­he had stopped at Clochegourde to ask her to allow me to rest there.  Monsieur de Chessel told the truth; but the accident seemed so forced that Madame de Mortsauf distrusted us.  She gave me a cold, severe glance, under which my own eyelids fell, as much from a sense of humiliation as to hide the tears that rose beneath them.  She saw the moisture on my forehead, and perhaps she guessed the tears; for she offered me the restoratives I needed, with a few kind and consoling words, which gave me back the power of speech.  I blushed like a young girl, and in a voice as tremulous as that of an old man I thanked her and declined.