 | XI. Visions—A Phantasy |  |
11. XI.
ON the following night as I neared the oak tree, Ellis glided to meet me as toward a familiar friend. Nor did I experience the horror of yesterday in her presence, indeed I was almost glad to see her; I did not even speculate on what might happen, but only desired to be taken to some great distance and to some interesting places.
Ellis placed her arm about me and our flight began.
"Fly with me to Italy," I whispered in her ear.
"Where you will, my beloved," answered Ellis in low glad tones, and turned her face to mine with a gentle caressing movement. She did not seem so nebulous as on the previous night; more substantial, more womanly, she brought to my recollection the beautiful creature who had vanished from me in the dawn.
"To-night is a festal night," she continued. "It falls but seldom; when seven times thirteen—"
Here some words escaped me.
"On this night one can see things hidden at other times."
"Ellis!" I entreated, "who are you then? Tell me at last!"
But she silently raised one white arm above her head.
There in the dark sky where her finger pointed, a comet gleamed like a red ribbon among the stars.
"Who am I to understand you?" I began. "Do you mean that as yonder comet wanders forever between stars and planets, you wander between men and—what other race, Ellis?"
Ellis's hand covered my eyes. It seemed to me as if a thick river-fog veiled them.
"To Italy! to Italy!" she whispered. "This is a festal night."
| XI. Visions—A Phantasy | |