That the sight of his
idol should have fallen to his lot on earth; that he should hear the
sound of her voice, and breathe the same air with her, was, on the one
hand, a felicity so undreamed of, a fortune so amazing, that he sometimes
wondered how he could enjoy it, and still retain his senses.
But when he met her, and she returned his impassioned look with a mere
smile of civil recognition; when he spoke to her, and she answered him in
a tone of conventional politeness--he found it more than he could bear.
The eyes of her picture were kinder than hers. He had, at least, been
able to comfort himself with the belief that, as a spirit, she had known
of his love, and accepted it. Now, by her incarnation, while his eyes had
gained their desire, his heart had lost its consolation.
His condition of mind rapidly became desperate. He could not bear to be
in Ida's presence. Her friendly, formal accent was unendurable to him.
Their blank, unrecognizing expression, as they rested on him in mere
kindliness, made her lovely eyes awful to him as a Gorgon's.
In the early evening he found Miss Ludington alone, and broke out to her:
"For God's sake, can't you help me? I shall go mad if you don't!"
"Why, what do you mean?" she exclaimed, in astonishment.
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