in!' whispered her lover, whose senses were languishing with passion
under the touch of those hands, the sound of that caressing voice. 'Say
it again--go on speaking.'

'I love you,' repeated Elena, noticing that his eyes were fixed upon her
lips, and being perhaps aware of the fascination that emanated from them
while pronouncing the words.

With a sudden movement she raised herself from the pillows, and taking
Andrea's head between her two hands, she drew him to her, and their lips
met in a long and passionate kiss.

Afterwards she fell back again, and lying with her arms stretched
straight along the coverlet at her sides, she gazed at Andrea with wide
open eyes, while one by one the great tears gathered slowly, and
silently rolled down her cheeks.

'What is it, Elena--tell me--What is it?' asked her lover, clasping her
hands and leaning over her to kiss away the tears.

She clenched her teeth and bit her lips to keep back the sobs.

'Nothing--nothing--go now, leave me--please! You shall see me
to-morrow--go now.'

Her voice and her look were so imploring that Andrea obeyed.

'Good-bye,' he said, and kissed her tenderly on the lips, carrying away
upon his own the taste of her salt tears. 'Good-bye! Love me--and do not
forget.'

As he crossed the threshold, he seemed to hear her break into sobs
behind him. He went on a little unsteadily, like a man who is not sure
of his sight. The odour of chloroform lingered in his nostrils like the
fumes of an intoxicating vapour; but, with every step he took, some
virtue seemed to go out of him, to be dissipated in the air. The rooms
lay empty and silent before him. 'Mademoiselle' appeared at a door
without any warning sound of steps or rustle of garments, like a ghost.

'This way Signor Conte, you will not be able to find your way.'

She smiled in an ambiguous and irritating manner, her gray eyes
glittering with ill-concealed curiosity. Andrea did not speak. Once more
the presence of this woman annoyed and disturbed him, arousing an
undefined sense of repulsion and anger in him.

No sooner was he outside the door than he drew a deep breath like a man
relieved from some heavy burden. The gentle splash of the fountain came
through the trees, broken now and then by some clearer, louder sound;
the whole firmament glittered with stars, veiled here and there by long
trailing strips of cloud like tresses of pale hair; carriage lamps
flitted rapidly hither and thither, the l