No less embarrassed than her cousin, Adrienne de Cardoville remained seated.  Like Djalma, she cast down her eyes; but the burning blush on her cheeks, the quick heaving of her virgin bosom, revealed an emotion that she did not even attempt to hide.  Notwithstanding the powers of her mind, by turns gay, graceful, and witty—­notwithstanding the decision of her proud and independent character, and her complete acquaintance with the manners of the world—­Adrienne shared Djalma’s simple and enchanting awkwardness, and partook of that kind of temporary weakness, beneath which these two pure, ardent, and loving beings appeared sinking—­as if unable to support the boiling agitation of the senses, combined with the intoxicating excitement of the heart.  And yet their eyes had not met.  Each seemed to fear the first electric shock of the other’s glance—­that invincible attraction of two impassioned beings—­that sacred fire, which suddenly kindles the blood, and lifts two mortals from earth to heaven; for it is to approach the Divinity to give one’s self up with religious fervor to the most noble and irresistible sentiment that He has implanted within us—­the only sentiment that, in His adorable wisdom, the Dispenser of all good has vouchsafed to sanctify, by endowing it with a spark of His own creative energy.

Djalma was the first to raise his eyes.  They were moist and sparkling.  The excitement of passionate love, the burning ardor of his age, so long repressed, the intense admiration in which he held ideal beauty, were all expressed in his look, mingled with respectful timidity, and gave to the countenance of this youth an undefinable, irresistible character.  Yes, irresistible!—­for, when Adrienne encountered his glance, she trembled in every limb, and felt herself attracted by a magnetic power.  Already, her eyes were heavy with a kind of intoxicating languor, when, by a great effort of will and dignity, she succeeded in overcoming this delicious confusion, rose from her chair, and said to Djalma in a trembling voice:  “Prince, I am happy to receive you here.”  Then, pointing to one of the portraits suspended above her, she added, as if introducing him to a living person:  “Prince—­my mother!”

With an instinct of rare delicacy, Adrienne had thus summoned her mother to be present at her interview with Djalma.  It seemed a security for herself and the prince, against the seductions of a first interview—­which was likely to be all the more perilous, that they both knew themselves madly loved that they both were free, and had only to answer to Providence for the treasures of happiness and enjoyment with which He had so magnificently endowed them.  The prince understood Adrienne’s thoughts; so that, when the young lady pointed to the portrait, Djalma, by a spontaneous movement full of grace and simplicity, knelt down before the picture, and said to it in a gentle, but manly voice:  “I will love and revere you as my mother.  And, in thought, my mother too shall be present, and stand like you, beside your child!”