'Looking back to that time I fear that, in our excessive love for each other, Lucien and I were a little selfish. We seemed to have so much to do in our new home--a pleasant house in the Avenue Van Dyck, overlooking the wooded mounds and beautiful lakes of the park--we had ever so much to say to each other, that we seemed to have no leisure for making friends, or even acquaintances, and we forgot to return, or did so grudgingly, the visits of our hospitable neighbours. 'If I am to speak from personal experience no woman was ever more superlatively happy than I, or more blessed in her husband, and every hour that Lucien could spare from his military duties at the Caserne de Predicateurs was devoted me; and so my year of joy stole swiftly away, and the first anniversary of our marriage drew near. 'At last I became painfully conscious of a new and unusual gloom, restlessness, and depression of manner in Lucien, even when he was caressing me, which he began to do more tenderly and frequently than ever. There was something unfathomable in the expression of his eyes, and unaccountable in the sadness of his voice, and in vain I pressed him to tell me what grieved him. '"Every human heart has some secret which it longs to keep hidden from all," said he one day at last. '"But you, dearest Lucien, should have none from me," I urged, with my face on his breast, which was heaving painfully under my cheek. '"That to which I refer you will learn in time--most terribly--my darling Lisette," said he. '"Oh, why not now?" I urged; "how cruel this is of you, Lucien!" '"In old tales," said he, kissing away my tears, "you have read of persons who sold themselves to the devil?" '"Yes," said I, breathless with wonder and apprehension at his manner. '"And whose time on earth was hence allotted?" '"Yes." '"Do you think that after such a bond was signed--perhaps in blood--life would be pleasant?" '"No, Lucien; but what _do_ you mean?" '"That I seem to have so sold myself," he replied, wildly, with his eyes closed. '"Oh, explain--what do you--what can you mean?" I asked him, imploringly, as a dreadful fear came over me that his brain was affected. '"I have sold myself to an evil spirit, and now come remorse and misery--remorse for what you will suffer, misery for my own future." '"Oh, Lucien--my husband!" I exclaimed, folding him in my arms, a what do these dreadful words mean?" '"I have so sold myself in a manner, Lisette," said he, passionately, "and I shall have to pay the bitter, bitter penalty in losing you and life, and even more, perhaps, and all for what is called honour." '"What awful riddle is this?" I moaned. 'His words seemed to me like some dead language, the import of which I failed to understand. '"Do not, oh, Lisette, when the fatal time comes, deem me a madman," said he, covering my face with kisses--yea, and tears too.