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a mother； the delicacy of an angel！ All the woman was in her answer。
The silence lasted long。 Jules； thinking her asleep； went to question
Josephine as to her mistress's condition。
〃Madame came home half…dead； monsieur。 We sent at once for Monsieur
Haudry。〃
〃Did he come？ What did he say？〃
〃He said nothing； monsieur。 He did not seem satisfied； gave orders
that no one should go near madame except the nurse； and said he should
come back this evening。〃
Jules returned softly to his wife's room and sat down in a chair
before the bed。 There he remained； motionless； with his eyes fixed on
those of Clemence。 When she raised her eyelids she saw him； and
through those lids passed a tender glance； full of passionate love；
free from reproach and bitterness；a look which fell like a flame of
fire upon the heart of that husband； nobly absolved and forever loved
by the being whom he had killed。 The presentiment of death struck both
their minds with equal force。 Their looks were blended in one anguish；
as their hearts had long been blended in one love； felt equally by
both； and shared equally。 No questions were uttered； a horrible
certainty was there；in the wife an absolute generosity； in the
husband an awful remorse； then； in both souls the same vision of the
end； the same conviction of fatality。
There came a moment when； thinking his wife asleep； Jules kissed her
softly on the forehead； then after long contemplation of that
cherished face； he said：
〃Oh God！ leave me this angel still a little while that I may blot out
my wrong by love and adoration。 As a daughter； she is sublime； as a
wife； what word can express her？〃
Clemence raised her eyes； they were full of tears。
〃You pain me；〃 she said； in a feeble voice。
It was getting late； Doctor Haudry came； and requested the husband to
withdraw during his visit。 When the doctor left the sick…room Jules
asked him no question； one gesture was enough。
〃Call in consultation any physician in whom you place confidence； I
may be wrong。〃
〃Doctor； tell me the truth。 I am a man； and I can bear it。 Besides； I
have the deepest interest in knowing it； I have certain affairs to
settle。〃
〃Madame Jules is dying；〃 said the physician。 〃There is some moral
malady which has made great progress； and it has complicated her
physical condition； which was already dangerous； and made still more
so by her great imprudence。 To walk about barefooted at night！ to go
out when I forbade it！ on foot yesterday in the rain； to…day in a
carriage！ She must have meant to kill herself。 But still； my judgment
is not final； she has youth； and a most amazing nervous strength。 It
may be best to risk all to win all by employing some violent reagent。
But I will not take upon myself to order it； nor will I advise it； in
consultation I shall oppose it。〃
Jules returned to his wife。 For eleven days and eleven nights he
remained beside her bed； taking no sleep during the day when he laid
his head upon the foot of the bed。 No man ever pushed the jealousy of
care and the craving for devotion to such an extreme as he。 He could
not endure that the slightest service should be done by others for his
wife。 There were days of uncertainty； false hopes； now a little
better； then a crisis；in short； all the horrible mutations of death
as it wavers； hesitates； and finally strikes。 Madame Jules always
found strength to smile at her husband。 She pitied him； knowing that
soon he would be alone。 It was a double death；that of life； that of
love； but life grew feebler； and love grew mightier。 One frightful
night there was； when Clemence passed through that delirium which
precedes the death of youth。 She talked of her happy love； she talked
of her father； she related her mother's revelations on her death…bed；
and the obligations that mother had laid upon her。 She struggled； not
for life； but for her love which she could not leave。
〃Grant； O God！〃 she said； 〃that he may not know I want him to die with
me。〃
Jules； unable to bear the scene； was at that moment in the adjoining
room； and did not hear the prayer； which he would doubtless have
fulfilled。
When this crisis was over； Madame Jules recovered some strength。 The
next day she was beautiful and tranquil； hope seemed to come to her；
she adorned herself； as the dying often do。 Then she asked to be alone
all day； and sent away her husband with one of those entreaties made
so earnestly that they are granted as we grant the prayer of a little
child。
Jules； indeed； had need of this day。 He went to Monsieur de Maulincour
to demand the satisfaction agreed upon between them。 It was not
without great difficulty that he succeeded in reaching the presence of
the author of these misfortunes； but the vidame； when he learned that
the visit related to an affair of honor； obeyed the precepts of his
whole life； and himself took Jules into the baron's chamber。
Monsieur Desmarets looked about him in search of his antagonist。
〃Yes！ that is really he；〃 said the vidame； motioning to a man who was
sitting in an arm…chair beside the fire。
〃Who is it？ Jules？〃 said the dying man in a broken voice。
Auguste had lost the only faculty that makes us livememory。 Jules
Desmarets recoiled with horror at this sight。 He could not even
recognize the elegant young man in that thing withoutas Bossuet
saida name in any language。 It was； in truth； a corpse with whitened
hair； its bones scarce covered with a wrinkled； blighted； withered
skin；a corpse with white eyes motionless； mouth hideously gaping；
like those of idiots or vicious men killed by excesses。 No trace of
intelligence remained upon that brow； nor in any feature； nor was
there in that flabby flesh either color or the faintest appearance of
circulating blood。 Here was a shrunken； withered creature brought to
the state of those monsters we see preserved in museums； floating in
alchohol。 Jules fancied that he saw above that face the terrible head
of Ferragus； and his own anger was silenced by such a vengeance。 The
husband found pity in his heart for the vacant wreck of what was once
a man。
〃The duel has taken place；〃 said the vidame。
〃But he has killed many；〃 answered Jules； sorrowfully。
〃And many dear ones；〃 added the old man。 〃His grandmother is dying；
and I shall follow her soon into the grave。〃
On the morrow of this day； Madame Jules grew worse from hour to hour。
She used a moment's strength to take a letter from beneath her pillow；
and gave it eagerly to her husband with a sign that was easy to
understand；she wished to give him； in a kiss； her last breath。 He
took it； and she died。 Jules fell half…dead himself and was taken to
his brother's house。 There； as he deplored in tears his absence of the
day before； his brother told him that this separation was eagerly
desired by Clemence； who wished to spare him the sight of the
religious paraphernalia； so terrible to tender imaginations； which the
Church displays when conferring the last sacraments upon the dying。
〃You could not have borne it；〃 said his brother。 〃I could hardly bear
the sight myself； and all the servants wept。 Clemence was like a
saint。 She gathered strength to bid us all good…bye； and that voice；
heard for the last time； rent our hearts。 When she asked pardon for
the pain she might unwillingly have caused her servants； there were
cries and sobs and〃
〃Enough！ enough！〃 said Jules。
He wanted to be alone； that he might read the last words of the woman
whom all had loved； and who had passed away like a flower。
〃My beloved； this is my last will。 Why should we not make wills
for the treasures of our hearts； as for our worldly property？ Was
not my love my property； my all？ I mean here to dispose of my
love： it was the only fortune of your Clemence； and it is all that
she can leave you in dying。 Jules； you love me still； and I die
happy。 The doctors may explain my death as they think best； I
alone know the true cause。 I shall tell it to you； whatever pain
it may cause you。 I cannot carry with me； in a heart all yours； a
secret which you do not share； although I die the victim of an
enforced silence。
〃Jules； I was nurtured and brought up in the deepest solitude； far
from the vices and the falsehoods of the world； by the loving
woman whom you knew。 Society did justice to her conventional
charm； for that is what pleases society； but I knew secretly her
precious soul； I could cherish the mother who made my childhood a
joy without bitterness； and I knew why I cherished her。 Was not
that to love doubly？ Yes； I loved her； I feared her； I respected
her； yet nothing oppressed my heart； neither fear nor respect。 I
was all in all to her； she was all in all to me。 For nineteen
happy years； without a care； my soul； solitary amid the world
which muttered round me； reflected only her pure image； my heart
beat for her and through her。 I was scrupulously pious； I found
pleasure in being innocent before God。 My mother cultivated all
noble and self…respecting sentiments in me。 Ah！ it gives me
happiness to tell you； Jules； that I now know I was indeed a young
girl； and that I came to you virgin in heart。
〃When I