her and leaping from her to him as the perfume of aloes from the
swinging censer?

I was struck with stupor. I was familiar with that sensation similar
to drunkenness which characterizes love; I knew that it was the
aureole which crowned my well-beloved. But that she should excite such
heart-throbs, that she should evoke such phantoms with nothing but her
beauty, her flowers, her motley costume, and a certain trick of dancing
she had learned from some merry-andrew; and that without a word, without
a thought, without even appearing to know it! What was chaos, if it
required seven days to make such a being?

It was not love, however, that I felt, and I do not know how to describe
it unless I call it thirst. For the first time I felt vibrating in
my body a cord that was not attuned to my heart. The sight of that
beautiful animal had aroused a responsive roar from another animal in my
nature. I felt sure I could never tell that woman that I loved her, or
that she pleased me, or even that she was beautiful; there was nothing
on my lips but a desire to kiss her, and say to her: "Make a girdle of
those listless arms and lean that head on my breast; place that sweet
smile on my lips." My body loved hers; I was under the influence of
beauty as of wine.

Desgenais passed and asked what I was doing there.

"Who is that woman?" I asked.

"What woman? Of whom do you speak?"

I took his arm and led him into the hall. The Italian saw us coming and
smiled. I stopped and stepped back.

"Ah!" said Desgenais, "you have danced with Marco?"

"Who is Marco?" I asked.

"Why, that idle creature who is laughing over there. Does she please
you?"

"No," I replied, "I have waltzed with her and wanted to know her name; I
have no further interest in her."

Shame led me to speak thus, but when Desgenais turned away I followed
him.

"You are very prompt," he said, "Marco is no ordinary woman. She was
almost the wife of M. de------, ambassador to Milan. One of his friends
brought her here. Yet," he added, "you may rest assured I shall speak to
her. We shall not allow you to die so long as there is any hope for you
or any resource left untried. It is possible that she will remain to
supper."

He left me, and I was alarmed to see him approach her. But they were
soon lost in the crowd.

"Is it possible," I murmured; "have I come to this? Oh! heavens! is
this what I am going to love? But after all," I thought, "my senses have
spoken,