And as the duke listened the time and place faded utterly away.
The passionate and yet fantastic music pealed out into the room and destroyed its material appeal to the senses. His brain seemed suddenly aware of a larger and more fully-coloured life than he had ever known before, ever thought possible before. He stood upon the threshold of it; it held strange secrets, wonderful chances; there were passionate moments for young blood awaiting!
Here was the agony that lurked in pleasure, the immedicable pain which allured—lights gleamed behind swaying veils.
Clang!
The deep resonance of the iron bell tolled into the dream.
Clang!
The twin towers of Notre Dame were stark and black up in the sky.
Clang!
The dark sky grew rosy, he saw her hands, he saw the light upon her face. It was dark no longer—the bell had tolled away the old day, dawn was at hand, the new day was coming; the dawn of love was rosy in the sky.
* * * * * *