The angry disappointment of the Princess de Saint-Dizier, when she saw herself thus followed and watched, appeared so comical to Mdlle. de Cardoville that she could not help laughing aloud; and it was to the sound of contemptuous hilarity that the hypocritical princess, with rage and despair in her heart, quitted the house to which she had hoped to bring trouble end misery.  Adrienne and Djalma were left alone.  Before relating the scene which took place between them, a few retrospective words are indispensable.  It will easily be imagined, that since Mdlle. de Cardoville and the Oriental had been brought into such close contact, after so many disappointments, their days had passed away like a dream of happiness.  Adrienne had especially taken pains to bring to light, one by one, all the generous qualities of Djalma, of which she had read so much in her books of travels.  The young lady had imposed on herself this tender and patient study of Djalma’s character, not only to justify to her own mind the intensity of her love, but because this period of trial, to which she had assigned a term, enabled her to temper and divert the violence of Djalma’s passion—­a task the more meritorious, as she herself was of the same ardent temperament.  For, in those two lovers, the finest qualities of sense and soul seemed exactly to balance each other, and heaven had bestowed on them the rarest beauty of form, and the most adorable excellence of heart, as if to legitimatize the irresistible attraction which drew and bound them together.  What, then, was to be the term of this painful trial, which Adrienne had imposed on Djalma and on herself?  This is what Mdlle. de Cardoville intended to tell the prince, in the interview she had with him, after the abrupt departure of the Princess de Saint-Dizier.

CHAPTER LX.

The ordeal.

Adrienne de Cardoville and Djalma had remained alone.  Such was the noble confidence which had succeeded in the Hindoo’s mind to his first movement of unreflecting fury, caused by the infamous calumny, that, once alone with Adrienne, he did not even allude to that shameful accusation.

On her side (touching and admirable sympathy of those two hearts!), the young lady was too proud, conscious of the purity of her love, to descend to any justification of herself.

She would have considered it an insult both to herself and him.  Therefore, the lovers began their interview, as if the princess had never made any such remark.  The same contempt was extended to the papers, which the princess had brought with her to prove the imminent ruin to which Adrienne was exposed.  The young lady had laid them down, without reading them, on a stand within her reach.  She made a graceful sign to Djalma to seat himself by her side, and accordingly he quitted, not without regret, the place he had occupied at her feet.

“My love,” said Adrienne, in a grave and tender voice, “you have often impatiently asked me, when would come the term of the trial we have laid upon ourselves.  That moment is at hand.”