The dead eyelids stirred, lifted, a faint
gleam showed beneath them, an unspeakable weariness. I thought
they would fall unsatisfied. Suddenly he saw What looked upon
him, and a terror of joy no tongue can tell flashed over the dark
mirror of his face. He stretched a faint hand to touch her feet,
a sobbing sigh died upon his lips, and once more the swooning
sleep took him. He lay as a dead man before the Assembly.
"The night is far spent," a voice said, from I know not where.
And I knew it was said not only for the sleeper but for all, for
though the flying feet of Beauty seem for a moment to outspeed us
she will one day wait our coming and gather us to her bosom.
As before, the vision spread outward like rings in a broken
reflection in water. I saw the girl beside me, but her hand grew
light in mine. I felt it no longer. I heard the roaring wind in
the trees, or was it a great voice thundering in my ears? Sleep
took me. I waked in my little room.
Strange and sad - I saw her next day and did not remember her
whom of all things I desired to know. I remembered the vision and
knew that whether in dream or waking I had heard an eternal
truth.
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