Am I now another being ?" Ulysses was remembering only too well that past, and began to recognize that this memory was becoming too vivid.

She, who was following with astute eyes the seductive memories whirling through his brain, guessed what they were by the contraction of his face.

And smiling triumphantly, she placed her mouth against his.

She was sure of her power....

And she reproduced the kiss of the Aquarium, that kiss which had so thrilled the sailor, making his whole body tremble.
But when she gave herself up with more abandon to this dominating ascendancy, she felt herself repelled, shot back by a brutal hand-thrust similar to the blow that had hurled her upon the cushions at the beginning of the interview.
Some one had interposed between the two, in spite of their close embrace.
The captain, who was beginning to lose consciousness of his acts, like a castaway, descending and descending through the enchanting domains of limitless pleasure, suddenly beheld the face of the dead Esteban with his glassy eyes fixed upon him.