As the moment for his meeting with Julie drew near, Julien had summoned all his courage. He anticipated a painful explanation, he had taken an inward oath that he would be neither angry nor reproachful nor weak, and yet, when he opened the door, his hand trembled, a giddiness born of frenzy and despair made him hesitate and recoil; but, the instant that she saw him, Julie uttered a joyful cry, threw her arms about his neck, and strained him passionately to her heart. They were in the dark, they could not see how changed they both were. They felt that their kisses were burning, and it did not occur to either of them that it might be with fever. At that moment the only fever was that fever of love which gives life. They had forgotten that which causes death. But that moment of intoxication did not long endure in Julien's case. More alarmed than exhilarated by Julie's caresses, he hastily pushed her away. "Why do you still love me," he said, "if you still intend to leave me?" "Oh! perhaps it won't be for long!" she replied. "You wrote me that this was an eternal farewell." "I don't know what I wrote, I was mad; but there can be no eternal farewell, it is not possible when two people love as we do." "Then you are going away, but you will return?" "If I can, yes! Let us not talk about that. This night is ours, let us love!" Amid the transports of love, Julien was again seized with terror. Julie unguardedly uttered excited words in which there was an indefinably ominous implication which made his blood run cold. "Ah!" he exclaimed abruptly, "you are deceiving me! You are going away forever, or else you think that you are going to die! You are ill, I know; given up by the doctors it may be?" "No, I give you my word that the doctors promise to cure me." "I want to see your face; I can't see you here, let us go out. I am afraid! It seems to me at times that I am dreaming, and that it is your ghost that I hold in my arms." He led her into the garden where it was almost as dark as in the pavilion. "I can't see you, _mon Dieu!_ I can't see your face," said Julien, anxiously. "I can feel that your arms are thinner, that your waist is smaller. You seem to have become so light that your feet do not touch the gravel. Tell me, are you a dream? Am I here, by your side, in this garden where we have been so happy? I am afraid I am mad!" They drew near to the basin: there, as the moonless sky was without a cloud and was reflected in the water with all its stars, Julien saw that Madame d'Estrelle was pale, and the whiteness of the water, reflected on her face, made her appear even more ghastly than she was. He could tell that her face had grown thin by the increased size of her eyes, which shone brightly in the darkness. "I was sure of it!" he cried; "you are dying, and that is why you sent for me. Very good; Julie, I will not leave you again; if I am to lose you, I propose to receive your last breath and then die myself."