LOMIDES.

He slipped. He is straggling in the heart of the eddy. Do not look at
him; there is nothing to be done....

ALLADINE.

You are going to save him?

PALOMIDES.

Save him? But look! he is already in the tunnel. One moment more,
and he will be under the vaults; and God himself will never see him
more....

ALLADINE.

Go away! Go away!

PALOMIDES.

What is the matter?

ALLADINE.

Go away!--I do not want to see you any more!...

[Ablamore enters precipitately, seizes Alladine, and draws her
away brusquely without speaking.]

SCENE III.--_A room in the palace_. ABLAMORE _and_ ALLADINE
_discovered_.

ABLAMORE.

You see, Alladine, my hands do not tremble, my heart beats like a
sleeping child's, and my voice has not once been stirred with wrath.
I bear no ill-will to Palomides, although what he has done might seem
unpardonable. And as for thee, who could bear thee ill-will? You obey
laws you do not know, and you could not act otherwise, I will not
speak to you of what took place the other day along the palace moats,
nor of all the unforeseen death of the lamb might have revealed to me,
had I believed in omens for an instant. But last night I surprised
the kiss you gave each other under the windows of Astolaine. At that
moment I was with her in her room. She has a soul that fears so much
to trouble, with a tear or with a simple movement of her eyelids, the
happiness of those about her, that I shall never know if she, as I,
surprised that wretched kiss. But I know what she has the power to
suffer. I shall not ask you anything you cannot avow to me, but I
would know if you had any secret design in following Palomides under
the window where you must have seen us. Answer me without fear; you
know beforehand I will pardon everything.

ALLADINE.

I did not kiss him.

ABLAMORE.

What? You did not kiss Palomides, and Palomides did not kiss you?

ALLADINE.

No.

ABLAMORE.

Ah!... Listen: I came here to forgive you everything.... I thought
you had acted as we almost all act, without aught of our soul
intervening.... But now I will know all that passed.... You love
Palomides, and you have kissed him under my eyes....

ALLADINE.

No.

ABLAMORE.

Don't go away. I am only an old man. Do not flee....

ALLADINE.

I am not fleeing.

ABLAMORE.

Ah! ah! You do not flee, because you think my old hands harmless! They
have yet the strength to tear a secret out in spite of all [_