A summer sky rose above me, gray with heat; across a
shining slumberous landscape, looked from afar the peaks of
snow-capped mountains; and down from a great rock beside me fell
a sheet of water mad with its own delight.
"Stay with me," she said, lifting up her exquisite face, and
looking full in mine.
I drew back. Again the infernal laugh grated upon my ears; again
the rocks closed in around me, and the ugly woman looked at me
with wicked, mocking hazel eyes.
"You shall have your reward," said she. "You shall see your
white lady again."
"That lies not with you," I replied, and turned and left her.
She followed me with shriek upon shriek of laughter, as I went on
my way.
I may mention here, that although there was always light enough
to see my path and a few yards on every side of me, I never could
find out the source of this sad sepulchral illumination.
CHAPTER XVIII
"In the wind's uproar, the sea's raging grim,
And the sighs that are born in him."
HEINE.
"From dreams of bliss shall men awake
One day, but not to weep:
The dreams remain; they only break
The mirror of the sleep."
JEAN PAUL, Hesperus.
How I got through this dreary part of my travels, I do not know.
Pages:
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193