Phantastes, A Faerie Romance

All this time, as I went through the wood, I was haunted with the

feeling that other shapes, more like my own size and mien, were moving

about at a little distance on all sides of me. But as yet I could

discern none of them, although the moon was high enough to send a great

many of her rays down between the trees, and these rays were unusually

bright, and sight-giving, notwithstanding she was only a half-moon. I

constantly imagined, however, that forms were visible in all directions

except that to which my gaze was turned; and that they only became

invisible, or resolved themselves into other woodland shapes, the moment

my looks were directed towards them. However this may have been, except

for this feeling of presence, the woods seemed utterly bare of anything

like human companionship, although my glance often fell on some object

which I fancied to be a human form; for I soon found that I was quite

deceived; as, the moment I fixed my regard on it, it showed plainly that

it was a bush, or a tree, or a rock.

Soon a vague sense of discomfort possessed me. With variations of

relief, this gradually increased; as if some evil thing were wandering

about in my neighbourhood, sometimes nearer and sometimes further off,

but still approaching. The feeling continued and deepened, until all my

pleasure in the shows of various kinds that everywhere betokened the

presence of the merry fairies vanished by degrees, and left me full

of anxiety and fear, which I was unable to associate with any definite

object whatever. At length the thought crossed my mind with horror: "Can

it be possible that the Ash is looking for me? or that, in his nightly

wanderings, his path is gradually verging towards mine?" I comforted

myself, however, by remembering that he had started quite in another

direction; one that would lead him, if he kept it, far apart from me;

especially as, for the last two or three hours, I had been diligently

journeying eastward.

I kept on my way, therefore, striving by direct

effort of the will against the encroaching fear; and to this end

occupying my mind, as much as I could, with other thoughts. I was so far

successful that, although I was conscious, if I yielded for a moment, I

should be almost overwhelmed with horror, I was yet able to walk right

on for an hour or more. What I feared I could not tell. Indeed, I was

left in a state of the vaguest uncertainty as regarded the nature of my

enemy, and knew not the mode or object of his attacks; for, somehow or

other, none of my questions had succeeded in drawing a definite answer

from the dame in the cottage. How then to defend myself I knew not; nor

even by what sign I might with certainty recognise the presence of my

foe; for as yet this vague though powerful fear was all the indication

of danger I had. To add to my distress, the clouds in the west had risen

nearly to the top of the skies, and they and the moon were travelling

slowly towards each other. Indeed, some of their advanced guard had

already met her, and she had begun to wade through a filmy vapour that

gradually deepened.