“And for you—­so young, so beautiful so innocent—­death is frightful, and these monsters triumph!” cried Djalma.  “They have spoken the truth!”

“They have lied!” answered Adrienne.  “Our death shall be celestial.  This poison is slow—­and I adore you, my Djalma!”

She spoke those words in a low voice, trembling with passionate love, and, leaning upon Djalma’s knees, approached so near, that he felt her warm breath upon his cheek.  As he felt that breath, and saw the humid flame that darted from the large, swimming eyes of Adrienne, whose half opened lips were becoming of a still deeper and brighter hue, the Indian started—­his young blood boiled in his veins—­he forgot everything—­his despair, and the approach of death, which as yet (as with Adrienne), only showed itself in a kind of feverish ardor.  His face, like the young girl’s, became once more splendidly beautiful.

“Oh, my lover! my husband! how beautiful you are!” said Adrienne, with idolatry.  “Those eyes—­that brow—­those lips—­how I love them!—­How many times has the remembrance of your grace and beauty, coupled with your love, unsettled my reason, and shaken my resolves—­even to this moment, when I am wholly yours!—­Yes, heaven wills that we should be united.  Only this morning, I gave to the apostolic man, that was to bless our union, in thy name and mine, a royal gift—­a gift, that will bring joy and peace to the heart of many an unfortunate creature.  Then what have we to regret, my beloved?  Our immortal souls will pass away in a kiss, and ascend, full of love, to that God who is all love!”

“Adrienne!”

“Djalma!”

The light, transparent curtains fell like a cloud over that nuptial and funereal couch.  Yes, funereal; for, two hours after, Adrienne and Djalma breathed their last sigh in a voluptuous agony.

CHAPTER LXVI.

A duel to the death.

Adrienne and Djalma died on the 30th of May.  The following scene took place on the 31st, the eve of the day appointed for the last convocation of the heirs of Marius de Rennepont.  The reader will no doubt remember the room occupied by M. Hardy, in the “house of retreat,” in the Rue de Vaugirard—­a gloomy and retired apartment, opening on a dreary little garden, planted with yew-trees, and surrounded by high walls.  To reach this chamber, it was necessary to cross two vast rooms, the doors of which, once shut, intercepted all noise and communication from without.  Bearing this in mind, we may go on with our narrative.  For the last three or four days, Father d’Aigrigny occupied this apartment.  He had not chosen it, but had been induced to accept it, under most plausible pretexts, given him at the instigation of Rodin.  It was about noon.  Seated in an arm-chair, by the window opening on the little garden, Father d’Aigrigny held in his hand a newspaper, in which he read as follows, under the head of “Paris:”