"And the remembrance of stain, madame, does not that become more and more terrible in proportion as the soul becomes purer, in proportion as the mind becomes more elevated? Alas, the higher we ascend, the deeper appears the abyss which we have quitted!"
"Then you renounce all hope of restoration—of pardon?"
"On the part of others—no, madame, your kindness proves to me that remorse will find indulgence."
"But you will be pitiless towards yourself?"
"Others, madame, may not know, pardon, or forget what I have been, but I shall never forget it!"
"And do you sometimes desire to die?"
"Sometimes!" said Goualeuse, smiling bitterly. Then, after a moment's silence, she added, "Sometimes,—yes, madame."
"Still you were afraid of being disfigured by that horrid woman; and so you wish to preserve your beauty, my poor little girl. That proves that life has still some attraction for you; so courage! Courage!"
"It is, perhaps, weakness to think of it, but if I were handsome, as you say, madame, I should like to die handsome, pronouncing the name of my benefactor."
Madame d'Harville's eyes filled with tears. Fleur-de-Marie had said these last words with so much simplicity; her angelic, pale, depressed features, her melancholy smile, were all so much in accord with her words, that it was impossible to doubt the reality of her sad desire. Madame d'Harville was endued with too much delicacy not to feel how miserable, how fatal, was this thought of La Goualeuse: "I shall never forget what I have been!"—the fixed, permanent, incessant idea which controlled and tortured Fleur-de-Marie's life. Clémence, ashamed at having for an instant misconstrued the ever disinterested generosity of the prince, regretted also that she had for a moment allowed herself to be actuated by any feeling of absurd jealousy against La Goualeuse, who, with such pure excitement, expressed her gratitude towards her protector. It was strange that the admiration which this poor prisoner felt so deeply towards Rodolph perhaps increased the profound love which Clémence must for ever conceal from him. She said, to drive away these thoughts: