“Take me with thee to that world. I no longer wish to live in this. I will not remain here I swear, if I must never see thee more.”
“Thou shalt see me again, have no fear,” said she. “Await till thou art worthy and until then, summon me not. I forbid thee. I will watch over thee like an invisible providence, and when thy soul is as pure as a ray of morning, I will then appear to thee, simply on the appeal of thy pious desire. Submit!”
“Submit!” repeated a solemn voice that resounded at my right. I turned and beheld one of the phantoms I had already seen in my room, at the time of the first apparition.
“Submit!” repeated a voice exactly similar, like an echo, at my left, and I beheld the second ghost.
I was not at all affected by this, although there was something terrifying in the height of these two spectres and in the deep tones of their voices. But what cared I for the terrible things I might see or hear? Nothing could snatch me from the ecstasy in which I was plunged. I did not even stop to look at these accessory shadows; my eyes sought my celestial beauty. Alas! she had disappeared, and I no longer beheld aught save the motionless naiad of the fountain, with its passionless pose and its cold tones of marble rendered blue by the first rays of morning.
I know not what became of the sisters; I did not see them disappear. I went around and around the fountain like a madman. I thought I was sleeping and I grew bewildered in the confusion of my ideas, hoping that I would not awake.
But I remembered the promised ring, and went up to my room, where I found Baptiste, who spoke to me without my being able to gather the meaning of his words. He appeared worried, perhaps on account of my expression, but I never thought of questioning him. I looked at the hearth and soon observed two disconnected stones, which I endeavored to raise, but it was too difficult an undertaking without the necessary tools.
Baptiste probably thought me mad, and mechanically endeavoring to aid me—
“Has monsieur lost anything?” said he.
“Yes, I let one of my rings fall here yesterday.”