o guard
avariciously the accents and music of the beloved voice. However loud
should be the cries, they would not be heard without these walls. A
person might be murdered, and his moans would be as vain as if he were
in the midst of the great desert."

"Who has understood jealousy and its needs so well?"

"Never question me as to that," she answered, untying with a gesture of
wonderful sweetness the young man's scarf, doubtless in order the better
to behold his neck.

"Yes, there is the neck I love so well!" she said. "Wouldst thou please
me?"

This interrogation, rendered by the accent almost lascivious, drew
De Marsay from the reverie in which he had been plunged by Paquita's
authoritative refusal to allow him any research as to the unknown being
who hovered like a shadow about them.

"And if I wished to know who reigns here?"

Paquita looked at him trembling.

"It is not I, then?" he said, rising and freeing himself from the girl,
whose head fell backwards. "Where I am, I would be alone."

"Strike, strike!..." said the poor slave, a prey to terror.

"For what do you take me, then?... Will you answer?"

Paquita got up gently, her eyes full of tears, took a poniard from one
of the two ebony pieces of furniture, and presented it to Henri with a
gesture of submission which would have moved a tiger.

"Give me a feast such as men give when they love," she said, "and whilst
I sleep, slay me, for I know not how to answer thee. Hearken! I am bound
like some poor beast to a stake; I am amazed that I have been able to
throw a bridge over the abyss which divides us. Intoxicate me, then kill
me! Ah, no, no!" she cried, joining her hands, "do not kill me! I love
life! Life is fair to me! If I am a slave, I am a queen too. I could
beguile you with words, tell you that I love you alone, prove it to you,
profit by my momentary empire to say to you: 'Take me as one tastes the
perfume of a flower when one passes it in a king's garden.' Then, after
having used the cunning eloquence of woman and soared on the wings of
pleasure, after having quenched my thirst, I could have you cast into a
pit, where none could find you, which has been made to gratify vengeance
without having to fear that of the law, a pit full of lime which would
kindle and consume you, until no particle of you were left. You would
stay in my heart, mine forever."

Henri looked at the girl without trembling, and this fearless gaze
filled her with joy.

"