"I heard the rustle of Milly's dress as she came across the room to me....
"And then, then I heard Hetty's voice again and opened my eyes and saw Hetty bending down over me—in that lovely place upon this mountain-side. Only Hetty had become my dear Sunray who is mistress of my life. And the sunshine was on us and on her face, and I stretched because my back was a little stiff and one of my knees was twisted."
"'Wake up! I said,'" said Sunray. "'Wake up,' and I shook you."
"And then we came and laughed at you," said Radiant. "Firefly and I."
"And you said, 'then there is another life,'" said Firefly. "And the tale is only a dream! It has been a good tale, Sarnac, and somehow you have made me think it was true."
"As it is," said Sarnac. "For I am as certain I was Henry Mortimer Smith yesterday as I am that I am Sarnac here and now."
CHAPTER THE EIGHTH
THE EPILOGUE
§ 1
The guest-master poked the sinking fire into a last effort. "So am I," he said, and then with profound conviction, "That tale is true."