"What secret?"
"About the door which leads into her room from the secret passage. You must tell her of it. Some one might get in to her when she is asleep and alone."
"But no one knows of this secret passage except Athalie."
"Is that not enough?"
"What do you mean?"
"Michael, you little know us women. You don't know what Athalie is, but I can guess. My tears flowed for Timéa, because she is so wretched, because she does not love you, and you are mine; but if she felt for you what she feels for that other man, and if you spurned me for her sake, as that man did Athalie, then may God keep me from ever seeing her asleep and in my power!"
"Noémi, you frighten me."
"That is what women are. Did you never know it. Hasten to reveal this secret to Timéa. I want her to be happy."
Michael kissed Noémi on the brow. "You darling child! I dare not write to Timéa, for she would recognize my writing; and then she could not be my widow, nor I your husband returned from the dead, and ascended into the paradise of your love."
"Then I will write to her."