""When you fled," she sighed, "I was asleep and there was no time to lose. I barely had a moment to go to Bombay, to find papa, and return in time to join you. This is an East-Indian costume."
"Still I was silent.
""Are you shocked?" she asked, simply.
""No," I replied, in a dull voice, "I"m past that."
""You are very rude," she said, with the tears starting to her eyes.
""I do not mean to be. I only wish to go away--away somewhere and find out what my name is."
""Your name is Harold Kensett."
""Are you sure?" I asked, eagerly.
""Yes--what troubles you?"
""Is everything plain to you? Are you a sort of prophet and second-sight medium? Is nothing hidden from you?" I asked.
""Nothing," she faltered. My head ached and I clasped it in my hand.
"A sudden change came over her. "I am human--believe me!" she said, with piteous eagerness. "Indeed, I do not seem strange to those who understand. You wonder, because you left me at midnight in Antwerp and you wake to find me here. If, because I find myself reincarnated, endowed with senses and capabilities which few at present possess--if I am so made, why should it seem strange? It is all so natural to me.
If I appear to you--"
""Appear?"
""Yes--"
""Wilhelmina!" I cried; "can you vanish?"
""Yes," she murmured; "does it seem to you unmaidenly?"
""Great Heaven!" I groaned.
""Don"t!" she cried, with tears in her voice--"oh, please don"t! Help me to bear it! If you only knew how awful it is to be different from other girls--how mortifying it is to me to be able to vanish--oh, how I hate and detest it all!"
""Don"t cry," I said, looking at her pityingly.
""Oh, dear me!" she sobbed. "You shudder at the sight of me because I can vanish."
""I don"t!" I cried.
""Yes, you do! You abhor me--you shrink away! Oh, why did I ever see you?--why did you ever come into my life?--what have I done in ages past, that now, reborn, I suffer cruelly--cruelly?"
""What do you mean?" I whispered. My voice trembled with happiness.
""I?--nothing; but you think me a fabled monster."
""Wilhelmina--my sweet Wilhelmina," I said, "I don"t think you a fabled monster. I love you; see--see--I am at your feet; listen to me, my darling--"
"She turned her blue eyes to mine. I saw tears sparkling on the curved lashes.
""Wilhelmina, I love you," I said again.
"Slowly she raised her hands to my head and held it a moment, looking at me strangely. Then her face grew nearer to my own, her glittering hair fell over my shoulders, her lips rested on mine.
"In that long, sweet kiss the beating of her heart answered mine, and I learned a thousand truths, wonderful, mysterious, splendid; but when our lips fell apart, the memory of what I learned departed also.
""It was so very simple and beautiful," she sighed, "and I--I never saw it. But the Mahatmas knew--ah, they knew that my mission could only be accomplished through love."
""And it is," I whispered, "for you shall teach me--me, your husband."
""And--and you will not be impatient? You will try to believe?"
""I will believe what you tell me, my sweetheart."
""Even about--cats?"
"Before I could reply the farther window opened and a yellow night-cap, followed by the professor, entered from somewhere without.
Wilhelmina sank back on her sofa, but the professor needed not to be told, and we both knew he was already busily reading our thoughts.
"For a moment there was dead silence--long enough for the professor to grasp the full significance of what had pa.s.sed. Then he uttered a single exclamation, "Oh!"
"After a while, however, he looked at me for the first time that evening, saying, "Congratulate you, Mr. Kensett, I"m sure," tied several knots in the cord of his dressing-gown, lighted a cigar, and paid no further attention to either of us. Some moments later he opened the window again and disappeared. I looked across the aisle at Wilhelmina.
""You may come over beside me," she said, shyly.
XXV
"It was nearly ten o"clock and our train was rapidly approaching Paris. We pa.s.sed village after village wrapped in mist, station after station hung with twinkling red and blue and yellow lanterns, then sped on again with the echo of the switch-bells ringing in our ears.
"When at length the train slowed up and stopped, I opened the window and looked out upon a long, wet platform, shining under the electric lights.
"A guard came running by, throwing open the doors of each compartment, and crying, "Paris next! Tickets, if you please."
"I handed him my book of coupons, from which he tore several and handed it back. Then he lifted his lantern and peered into the compartment, saying, "Is monsieur alone?"
"I turned to Wilhelmina.
""He wants your ticket--give it to me."
""What"s that?" demanded the guard.
"I looked anxiously at Wilhelmina.