As if he were entering a roofless, Grecian temple, so did he step into
the holy cloister-garden of the still nun, wherein the linden-tree
spoke loud, and the silent flowers, like children, played above the
reposing one, and nodded and rocked. High and far stretched the starry
arches, like glimmering triumphal arches, over the little spot of
earth, over the hallowed spot, where Liana's mortal veil, the little
luminous and rosy cloud, had sunk down, when it had no longer to bear
the angel, who had gone up into the ether, and needed no cloud any
more. Suddenly the shuddering Albano beheld the white form of Liana
leaning against the linden, and turned toward the evening star and the
ruddy evening glow. Long did he contemplate, in the averted form, the
heavenly descending facial line with which Liana had so often
unconsciously stood as a saint beside him. He still believed some
dream, the Proteus of man's past, had drawn down the airy image from
heaven, and made it play before him, and he expected to see it pass
away. It lingered, though quiet and mute. Kneeling down, as before the
open gate of the wide, long heaven full of transfiguration and
divinity, and as if he had been caught up out of these earthly vales,
he exclaimed, "Apparition, comest thou from God? art thou Liana?" and
it seemed to him as if he were dying.
Quickly the white form looked round, and saw the youth. She rose
slowly, and said, "My name is Idoine; I am innocent of the cruel
deception, most unhappy youth." Then he covered his eyes, from a
sudden, sharp pang at the return of the cold, heavy reality. Thereupon
he looked at the fair maiden again, and his whole being trembled at her
glorified resemblance to the departed. So smiled once Liana's delicate
mouth in love and sorrow; so opened her mild eye; so fell her fine hair
around a dazzling-white, sweet face; so was her whole beautiful soul
and life painted upon her countenance. Only Idoine stood there greater,
like a risen one, prouder and taller her stature, paler her complexion,
more thoughtful the maidenly brow. She could not, when he looked upon
her so silently and comparingly, repress her sympathy for the deceived
and unhappy one, and she wept, and he too.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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