"
"Who can say? You have promised the King to become a subject of
Hohenphalia."
"Yes."
"Then you will be a subject of mine. It is my will--I am in a
sovereign mood--that you at once proceed to find Hildegarde, and I will
give her to you."
We had arrived at the head of the stairs. The departing light of the
smoldering sun poured through the stained windows. The strands of her
hair were like a thousand flames, and her eyes had turned to gold, and
there was a smile on her lips which filled me with strange uneasiness.
I kissed her hands again, then went down the stairs. At the foot I
turned.
"Auf wiedersehen!"
"Good-by!"
My ear detected the barest falter in her voice, and something glistened
on her eyelashes. . . . Ah! why could not the veil have remained
before my eyes and let me gone in darkness? Suddenly I was looking
across the chasm of years. There was a young girl in white, a table
upon which stood a pitcher. It was a garden scene, and the air was
rich with perfumes. The girl's hair and eyes were brown, and there
were promises of great beauty. Then, as swiftly as it came, the vision
vanished.
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