And she took two or three steps, as if to see the better. Then, she stood still in the middle of the chamber, alone. As for me, I yet held the corpse in my arms, I covered myself with it, I protected myself against Laurence who was approaching. "Do not advance," cried I to her, harshly, "do not come here to soil this child who is sleeping. Remain where you are. I have to judge and condemn you." "Claude," she answered, in a meek voice, "let me kiss her." "No, no, your lips are all bruised with Jacques' kisses. You would profane the dead." Jacques seemed to be asleep, his head in the sheet. Laurence fell upon her knees. "Listen, Claude," she said, stretching out her hands towards me: "I know not what you see upon my lips, but do not speak to me with such harshness. I have need of gentleness." I stared at this woman, who was humbly complaining, and I failed to recognize Laurence. I clasped Marie closer, fearing some weakness. "Arise and listen to me," I cried out to Laurence: "I wish to make an end of this. You come from Jacques' room. You should not have come here. You opened the wrong door." Laurence arose. "Then, it is your intention to drive me away, is it?" asked she. "It is not I who drive you away. You have driven yourself away by accepting another asylum. Remain in that asylum." "I have not chosen another asylum. You are deceived, Claude. There are no strange kisses upon my lips. I love you." She advanced timidly, fascinating, her arms outstretched. "Do not approach, do not approach," I cried again, with a movement of fright. "I do not wish you to touch me, I do not wish you to touch Marie. The poor dead girl protects me against you; she is here, upon my breast, asleep; she calms my heart. I feel myself terribly torn. I should, perhaps, have had the baseness to pardon you, if you had come into our chamber and there dragged yourself at my feet, for there you would have been all-powerful over me, by reason of that infamous love with which misery and abandonment have inspired me. Here, you can exert no influence over my heart, no influence over my body. I still have upon my lips Marie's soul, her last breath and her last kiss. I do not wish your soiled mouth to take that soul from me." Laurence paused, sobbing, gazing at me through her tears. "Claude," murmured she, "you do not understand me, you have never understood me. I love you. I never knew what you wanted of me; I gave myself as I knew how to give myself. Why do you drive me away? I have done no evil; if you think I have done evil, you can beat me and we will still live in company." I was weary, I felt my heart bleed; I was in haste to see this woman depart, I implored her in my turn.