over her lips,
and she said: It would only have been in the way, if the fancy should
come upon thee to say good-bye in thy own fashion. And now, it was
very difficult for me to know exactly what to do, so as to place the
lady of thy dream before thee, since thou hast never told me what she
looked like in the dream. And so thou must forgive me, if I have come
in anything short of thy expectation, for I have done what I could.
Art thou satisfied with her, as she stands? For if not, I must call my
soul to the assistance of its body.

And I stood, unable to speak or move, gazing at her almost in a swoon
by reason of the excess of my intoxication; and after a while, I drew
a very deep sigh. And she came towards me, very slowly, as I stood
rooted to the ground; and she put up her arms, and laid one hand on
each shoulder, with a touch like the fall of a flake of snow. And she
said: I know what is the matter: thou art spellbound by a return of
thy original delusion. But it will leave thee, and thy senses will
return to thee, once thou hast said good-bye. And then, seized with
frenzy, I caught her in my arms, and suddenly she prevented me from
kissing her by putting her hand over my mouth. And she said with a
smile: Wait! Am I equal to Chaturika, for as it seems, thou hast been
playing me false? And for all answer, I took her hand, and kissed it,
and put it round my neck, and then fell to kissing her in madness,
continuing for I know not how long, bereft of my senses by the perfume
of her hair and the touch of her arms. And then at last, I took her
face in my hands. And I said: Away with Chaturika! Thou knowest all,
and art only jesting: and my soul quivers in my body at the sound of
thy name. And she laughed, as I kissed her very gently on her two
eyes, and she said: Perhaps I know: and yet, I will not forgive thee
for Chaturika, but on one condition. And I said: Ask anything thou
wilt: it matters not. Then she said: Look at me very carefully, and
think ere thou speakest: and tell me, exactly what it is, in me, that
chains thee so to me, which Chaturika and others are without.

And I said: Stand still, and let me look at thee, and think. And I put
her away, and stood back, examining her very carefully just as she had
wished, walking round and round her, and saying to myself: It is
absolutely useless, for I know what to say without any need of
looking, and yet I do not know if I can ever bring myself to stop,
since she has giv