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.While I stood watching them, a strange dreamy feeling came uponme: a railway-platform seemed to take the place of the green sward,Page 37 , Sylvie And Bruno Concluded - Lewis Carrolland, instead of the light figure of Sylvie bounding along, I seemed tosee the flying form of Lady Muriel; but whether Bruno had alsoundergone a transformation, and had become the old man whom she wasrunning to overtake, I was unable to judge, so instantaneously did thefeeling come and go.When I re-entered the little sitting-room which I shared withArthur, he was standing with his back to me, looking out of the openwindow, and evidently had not heard me enter.A cup of tea, apparentlyjust tasted and pushed aside, stood on the table, on the opposite sideof which was a letter, just begun, with the pen lying across it: anopen book lay on the sofa: the London paper occupied the easy chair;and on the little table which stood by it, I noticed an unlightedcigar and an open box of cigar-lights: all things betokened that theDoctor, usually so methodical and so self-contained, had been tryingevery form of occupation, and could settle to none!"This is very unlike you, Doctor!" I was beginning, but checkedmyself, as he turned at the sound of my voice, in sheer amazement atthe wonderful change that had taken place in his appearance.Never hadI seen a face so radiant with happiness, or eyes that sparkled withsuch unearthly light! "Even thus", I thought, "must the herald-angelhave looked, who brought to the shepherds, watching over theirflocks by night, that sweet message of 'Peace on earth, good-will tomen'!""Yes, dear friend!" he said, as if in answer to the question thatI suppose he read in my face."It is true! It is true!"No need to ask what was true."God bless you both!" I said, as Ifelt the happy tears brimming to my eyes."You were made for eachother!""Yes," he said, simply, "I believe we were.And what a change itmakes in one's Life! This isn't the same world! That isn't the sky Isaw yesterday! Those clouds- never saw such clouds in all my lifebefore! They look like troops of hovering angels!"To me they looked very ordinary clouds indeed: but then I had notfed "on honeydew, And drunk the milk of Paradise"!"She wants to see you- at once," he continued, descending suddenlyto the things of earth."She says that is the one drop yet wantingin her cup of happiness!""I'll go at once," I said, as I turned to leave the room."Wo'n't you come with me?""No, Sir!" said the Doctor, with a sudden effort- which proved anutter failure- to resume his professional manner."Do I look likecoming with you? Have you never heard that two is company, and-""Yes," I said, "I have heard it: and I'm painfully aware that I amNumber Three! But, when shall we three meet again?""When the hurly-burly's done!" he answered with a happy laugh,such as I had not heard from him for many a year.CHAPTER_VIICHAPTER VIIPage 38 , Sylvie And Bruno Concluded - Lewis Carroll Mein HerrSO I went on my lonely way, and, on reaching the Hall, I foundLady Muriel standing at the garden-gate waiting for me."No need to give you joy, or to wish you joy?" I began."None whatever!" she replied, with the joyous laugh of a child."We give people what they haven't got: we wish for something that isyet to come.For me, it's all here! It's all mine! Dear friend," shesuddenly broke off, "do you think Heaven ever begins on Earth, for anyof us?""For some," I said."For some, perhaps, who are simple andchildlike.You know he said 'of such is the Kingdom of Heaven'."Lady Muriel clasped her hands, and gazed up into the cloudlesssky, with a look I had often seen in Sylvie's eyes."I feel as if ithad begun for me," she almost whispered."I feel as if I were one ofthe happy children, whom He bid them bring near to Him, though thepeople would have kept them back.Yes, He has seen me in the throng.He has read the wistful longing in my eyes.He has beckoned me to Him.They have had to make way for me.He has taken me up in His arms.Hehas put His hands upon me and blessed me!" She paused, breathless inher perfect happiness."Yes," I said."I think He has!""You must come and speak to my father," she went on, as we stoodside by side at the gate, looking down the shady lane.But, even asshe said the words, the "eerie" sensation came over me like a flood: Isaw the dear old Professor approaching us, and also saw, what wasstranger still, that he was visible to Lady Muriel!What was to be done? Had the fairy-life been merged in the reallife? Or was Lady Muriel "eerie" also, and thus able to enter into thefairy-world along with me? The words were on my lips ("I see an oldfriend of mine in the lane: if you don't know him, may I introduce himto you?") when the strangest thing of all happened: Lady Muriel spoke."I see an old friend of mine in the lane," she said: "if you don'tknow him, may I introduce him to you?"I seemed to wake out of a dream: for the "eerie" feeling was stillstrong upon me, and the figure outside seemed to be changing atevery moment, like one of the shapes in a kaleidoscope: now he was theProfessor, and now he was somebody else! By the time he had reachedthe gate, he certainly was somebody else: and I felt that the propercourse was for Lady Muriel, not for me, to introduce him.Shegreeted him kindly, and, opening the gate, admitted the venerableold man- a German, obviously- who looked about him with dazed eyes, asif he, too, had but just awaked from a dream!No, it was certainly not the Professor! My old friend could not havegrown that magnificent beard since last we met: moreover, he wouldhave recognised me, for I was certain that I had not changed much inthe time.As it was, he simply looked at me vaguely, and took off his hat inresponse to Lady Muriel's words "Let me introduce Mein Herr to you";while in the words, spoken in a strong German accent, "proud to makePage 39 , Sylvie And Bruno Concluded - Lewis Carrollyour acquaintance, Sir!" I could detect no trace of an idea that wehad ever met before [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]