"Now, wait, Maurice," Lionel said, slowly, and in a still lower voice,
though his eyes were afire. "Wait and watch--closely, closely--don't
breathe or speak. It is near twelve. Watch! Do not take your eyes off
them; and at twelve o'clock, when you see one of the cups move, then you
must seize it--seize it, and seize Nina's hand!--and hold her fast! Oh,
I can tell you she will not leave us any more--not when I have spoken to
her and told her how cruel it was of her to go away. I do not know where
she is now; but at twelve, all of a sudden, there will be a kind of
trembling of the air--that is Nina--for she has been here before; how
long to twelve now, Maurice?" he asked, eagerly.
"Oh, it is a long time till twelve yet," his friend said. "I think, if I
were you, I would try to sleep for an hour or two; and I'll go into the
other room so as not to disturb you."
"No, no, Maurice," Lionel said, with panting vehemence. "You must not
stir! It is quite near, I tell you--it is close on twelve--watch the
cups, Maurice, and be ready to spring up and seize her hand and hold her
fast. Quite near twelve--surely I hear something--it is something
outside the window--like stringed instruments--and waves, dark
waves--no, no! Maurice, Maurice! it is in the next room!--it is some one
sobbing!--it is Nina!--Nina!"
He uttered a loud shriek and struggled wildly to raise himself; but
Maurice, with gentle pressure and persuasive words, got him to lie
still.
Pages:
680
681
682
683
684
685
686
687
688
689
690
691
692
693
694
695
696
697
698
699
700
701
702
703
704