She tried to clasp me in her arms, but her hands met together, and only joined as if in prayer.
“Hugo, Hugo, stay, why can I not touch you? Mother, look! look! Here is Hugo!”
She was growing wilder and more excited with every moment.
My mother looked faint and frightened, as she said:
“Alice, what is the matter, child? What do you see? Hugo is not here!”
The children, hearing Alice’s cry, flew into the room, all eager with expectation.
“Where is Hugo? Where is he?” they prattled.
I felt that I was invisible to all but Alice. She was the only one to see me.[me.] Therefore, realizing that the body had to be saved from its danger in the woods without loss of time, I drew her after myself with all my will. I slowly moved towards the door, never taking my look off her eyes. She followed me, as one in a state of somnambulism.
My mother looked stunned and bewildered.
Rising with difficulty from her place, she would have made for the door also, but sank back into her arm-chair powerless and covered her face with her hands.