He had succeeded so well in his effort to drive back the flood of his passion that his life itself seemed to run with it out of his body.

At that moment he felt as one dead speaking.
But the headlong wave returning with tenfold force flung him on her suddenly, with open arms and blazing eyes.

She found herself like a feather in his grasp, helpless, unable to struggle, with her feet off the ground.

But this contact with her, maddening like too much felicity, destroyed its own end.

Fire ran through his veins, turned his passion to ashes, burnt him out and left him empty, without force--almost without desire.