breathed, and instantly Robert answered her
and his answer came like music to her ears.

"There is such love. It is no dream, but a glorious reality
transfiguring the world, exalting men, immortalizing women. If I could
woo you with a hunter's voice, I would cry to you through the parted
leaves: Perpetua, I love you with this mighty love, have loved you since
that happy forest day, shall love you so, Perpetua, till I die, and bear
as my one claim to opened heaven the changeless cry, I love Perpetua."

While Robert was speaking his face seemed to grow comelier, and the pale
face of Perpetua showed the influence of his words. Her eyes shone with
his enthusiasm, her lips quivered with his emotion, her cheek flushed
with his inspiration; she was entirely under the spell of his speech and
the associations it evoked. As he came to an end she rose as if
entranced, and moved slowly towards him. He, too, rose, as if himself
bewitched by the magic of his tongue, and stood with parted arms as if
to clasp and welcome her. Each had forgotten time and place, both were
again in the green wood with their hearts on fire.

"Hunter, my hunter," Perpetua cried; "your voice comes through the
leaves and conquers me!"

Her eyes were half closed, her hands stretched out; she swayed towards
him.

Robert sprang forward with a mighty cry. "Perpetua!"

She was almost in his arms; suddenly her opened eyes realized that she
was confronted by the rugged visage of the fool. She drew back with a
start, and put her hands to her eyes as if to brush away the dream that
had possessed her.

Robert, who had advanced like a conqueror, fell back like a slave.

"Ah!" Perpetua moaned. "What have you said to me? I have dreamed a
dream."

With a heavy sigh Robert answered her, striving to smile.

"I too have dreamed a dream. As the golden words glowed from my brain
they worked a spell upon me, and for a moment I, the hideous cripple,
fancied myself young and comely, the lover of my vision. Forgive me,
Perpetua."

"What is there to forgive?" Perpetua answered. "I have slept waking,
have dreamed with open eyes, and in my dream I seemed to hear a voice
that carries all the music of the world, which called me by my name and
made me come to it."

"Perpetua!" Robert pleaded.

But she went on speaking, unheeding him, as if she were indeed still
under the influence of a dream.

"I was again in the green wood; the fountain bubbled at my feet. Strong
han