As soon as my duties permitted I rode out to Senhor Souza’s villa and was pleased at being met on the threshold by Juliette. She looked pale and anxious, and a trace of fear still lingered in her beautiful eyes. We wandered into the garden together, and when the psychological moment had arrived, as I thought, I renewed my love-vows, and again urged her to consent to become my wife. Something of the previous night’s agitation affected her, and as she clung to my arm as though she was afraid an unseen force might attempt to pluck her from my side, she said: ‘Are we justified, think you, in defying fate, and in linking our lives together in spite of the curse?’ ‘Yes, undoubtedly,’ I answered. ‘The curse is nonsense. We can afford to laugh at the curse of a human being.’ ‘You saw the vision last night?’ she asked. ‘Yes.’ ‘And heard it speak?’ ‘I did.’ ‘You know then that I am not the victim of a delusion. At least, if I am so are you.’ ‘Beloved,’ I cried, ‘we are both victims of a delusion. It is well that we should think so. Curses avail not, neither can the dead harm us. Our happiness is in each other’s keeping. Why should we throw it away? Surely we are strong-minded enough to be indifferent to the meaningless croakings of a spiteful and imbecile old woman. Hesitate, therefore, no longer; say that you will be my wife.’ Although my argument evidently told with her, she could not quite make up her mind, and she murmured, like one who was still under the influence of a great fear: ‘I should like to, I should like to, dear one; but supposing that dreadful prophecy _should_ come true?’ ‘It won’t, my own love,’ I answered. ‘We have nothing to fear from the living, and the dead--well, the dead are done with.’ ‘Ah, you don’t know. Perhaps, perhaps not. Who knows, who can tell? It may be that those who have passed away may still have the power to injure us. The old nurse hated me, and I fear that she has carried her hate beyond the grave.’ I used every argument I could to comfort and calm her. I urged her again and again to speak the word that would make my happiness complete. I told her that I was then suffering in health as a result of the climate, and weakened as I was, her refusal to comply with my request would probably have a fatal effect.