Composed in 1898 and published the following year by Hamelle, this nocturne is dedicated to Mrs. Adela Maddison. She was the wife of the president of the British music publisher, Metzler. In 1898, the year this work was composed, she left her husband and moved to Paris, where Fauré resided. In C-sharp minor, Molto lento, it begins in an unusual 18/8 time signature and possesses a barcarolle-like rhythm. The melody unfolds in a leisurely, singing manner, leading to the development section, marked Un poco più mosso. The second section begins in F-sharp major and is characterized by highly elevated music. Measures 69-77 feature enharmonic modulation, replete with Fauré's characteristic technique of ambiguous sonorities. Thème et variations, composed around the same period as this work, shares not only the tonic key but also the overall solemnity of the piece.