He sprang to her side and seized her in his arms.
"But I love you. Am I not yours, body and soul? Do you blame me for hesitating to resort to extremes? You wish to die, because you are a woman, and they always incline to tragedy. I wish to enjoy your love, and yet avoid any thing leading to scandal and disgrace." He covered her with kisses as she lay quiet in his arms.
"Be reasonable and calm. We must not meet this danger with any foolish, sentimental excitement, but with cool and wary plans. Sit down here by me, and let us discuss it quietly."
She yielded, subdued as usual by his magnetic influence over her.
"Who knows our secret? Elaine.—Poor Elaine! I curse the day I was born when I think of what she must be suffering. As she shows herself nobler and more self-sacrificing, my remorse increases."
"Yes, indeed," sighed Odette.
There was silence between them. Both were lost in wondering admiration of Elaine's grand sacrifice. Claude continued:
"Why should not our life go on as before? Elaine will keep the secret, and I can not bear the thought of Death when we are enjoying such love and life. Flight would be shame and disgrace for both of us—your reputation irretrievably ruined, my career ended. You see that we can remain at home; Elaine will close her eyes to our affection——"
Both were flushed with shame at their cruel calculations on Elaine's tortured heart. Instinctively, they felt themselves still more closely bound together as they sunk lower and lower.
A servant's voice was heard outside. Odette rose. She had not replied to Claude, save by her silence. She felt herself humiliated and mortified; her brave resolutions had vanished, and she accused herself of cowardice, but still she yielded to Claude's advice.