The king halted, as he suddenly espied the man whom for nearly a year he had seen only in his dreams.
The two stood thus for a moment without moving, as if mutually fascinated by each other.
In the whirl of sensations and thoughts which filled Gabriel's brain, the poor fellow in his distraction could fix upon no course to adopt, and form no resolution. He waited.
As for Henri, despite his proved courage, the sensation that he experienced was beyond question fear; but at the humiliating thought he held his head erect, banished his first cowardly impulse, and made up his mind what to do.
To call fur help would have been to show fear; to retire as he had come would have been to flee.
He pursued his way toward the door, where Gabriel remained as if nailed to the spot.
Moreover, a superior force, a sort of irresistible and fatal fascination, urged him on toward the pale phantom who seemed to be waiting for him.
The perplexities of his destiny began to unfold themselves around him.
Gabriel experienced a species of blind, instinctive satisfaction as he saw him approach; but still he could not succeed in evolving any distinct thought from the clouds that obscured his intellect. He simply laid his hand upon the hilt of his sword.
When the king was within a few steps of Gabriel, the personal dread which he had previously thrust away seized him anew, and held his heart fast, as it were in a vice.