第559章

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."

Djalma started, and could not restrain a cry of surprise and joy; but this almost trembling exclamation was so soft and sweet, that it seemed rather the expression of ineffable gratitude, than of exulting passion.

Adrienne continued: "Separated--surrounded by treachery and fraud--

mutually deceived as to each other's sentiments--we yet loved on, and in that followed an irresistible attraction, stronger than every opposing influence.But since then, in these days of happy retirement from the world, we have learned to value and esteem each other more.Left to ourselves in perfect freedom, we have had the courage to resist every temptation, that hereafter we might be happy without remorse.During these days, in which our hearts had been laid open to each other, we have read them thoroughly.Yes, Djalma! I believe in you, and you in me--I find in you all that you find in me--every possible human security for our future happiness.But this love must yet be consecrated; and in the eyes of the world, in which we are called upon to live, marriage is the only consecration, and marriage enchains one's whole life."

Djalma looked at the young lady with surprise.

"Yes, one's whole life! and yet who can answer for the sentiments of a whole life?" resumed Adrienne."A God, that could see into the future, could alone bind irrevocably certain hearts for their own happiness; but, alas! to human eyes the future is impenetrable.Therefore, to accept indissoluble ties, for any longer than one can answer for a present sentiment, is to commit an act of selfish and impious folly."

Djalma made no reply, but, with an almost respectful gesture, he urged the speaker to continue.

"And then," proceeded she, with a mixture of tenderness and pride, "from respect for your dignity and mine, I would never promise to keep a law made by man against woman, with contemptuous and brutal egotism--a law, which denies to woman soul, mind, and heart--a law, which none can accept, without being either a slave or perjured--a law, which takes from the girl her name, reduces the wife to a state of degrading inferiority, denies to the mother all rights over her own children, and enslaves one human creature to the will of another, who is in all respects her equal in the sight of God!--You know, my love," added the young lady, with passionate enthusiasm, "how much I honor you, whose father was called the Father of the Generous.I do not then fear, noble and valiant heart, to see you use against me these tyrannical powers; but, throughout my life, I never uttered a falsehood, and our love is too sacred and celestial to be purchased by a double perjury.No, never will I swear to observe a law, that my dignity, and my reason refuse to sanction.If, to-morrow, the freedom of divorce were established, and the rights of women recognized, I should be willing to observe usages, which would then be in accordance with my conscience, and with what is just, possible, and humane." Then, after a pause, Adrienne continued, with such deep and sweet emotion, that a tear of tenderness veiled her beauteous eyes: "Oh!

if you knew, my love, what your love is to me: if you knew how dear and sacred I hold your happiness--you would excuse, you would understand, these generous superstitions of a loving and honest heart, which could only see a fatal omen in forms degraded by falsehood and perjury.What I wish, is, to attach you by love, to bind you in chains of happiness--and to leave you free, that I may owe your constancy only to your affection."

Djalma had listened to the young girl with passionate attention.Proud and generous himself, he admired this proud and generous character.

After a moment's meditative silence, he answered, in his sweet, sonorous voice, in an almost solemn tone: "Like you, I hold in detestation, falsehood and perjury.Like you, I think that man degrades himself, by accepting the right of being a cowardly tyrant, even though resolved never to use the power.Like you, I could not bear the thought, that I owed all I most valued, not to your love alone, but to the eternal constraint of an indissoluble bond.Like you, I believe there is no dignity but in freedom.But you have said, that, for this great and holy love, you demand a religious consecration; and if you reject vows, that you cannot make without folly and perjury, are there then others, which your reason and your heart approve?--Who will pronounce the required blessing? To whom must these vows be spoken?"

"In a few days, my love, I believe I shall be able to tell you all.