"To die? Oh! wherefore? who is to die?" cried the young lady, almost in delirium.
"I," replied Djalma, with inexpressible tenderness, "I thought I had killed you—and I took poison."
"You!" exclaimed Adrienne, becoming pale as death. "You!"
"Yes."
"Oh! it is not true!" said the young lady, shaking her head.
"Look!" said the Asiatic. Mechanically, he turned towards the bed—towards the little ivory table, on which sparkled the crystal phial.
With a sudden movement, swifter than thought, swifter, it may be, than the will, Adrienne rushed to the table, seized the phial, and applied it eagerly to her lips.
Djalma had hitherto remained on his knees; but he now uttered a terrible cry, made one spring to the drinker's side, and dragged away the phial, which seemed almost glued to her mouth.
"No matter! I have swallowed as much as you," said Adrienne, with an air of gloomy triumph.
For an instant, there followed an awful silence. Adrienne and Djalma gazed upon each other, mute, motionless, horror-struck. The young lady was the first to break this mournful silence, and said in a tone which she tried to make calm and steady, "Well! what is there extraordinary in this? You have killed, and death most expiate your crime. It is just. I will not survive you. That also is natural enough. Why look at me thus? This poison has a sharp taste—does it act quickly! Tell me, my Djalma!"