Phantastes, A Faerie Romance

She was very plain and commonplace in appearance, without being

hideously ugly. Looking up in my face with a stupid sneer, she said:

"Isn't it a pity you haven't a pretty girl to walk all alone with

you through this sweet country? How different everything would look?

wouldn't it? Strange that one can never have what one would like best!

How the roses would bloom and all that, even in this infernal hole!

wouldn't they, Anodos? Her eyes would light up the old cave, wouldn't

they?"

"That depends on who the pretty girl should be," replied I.

"Not so very much matter that," she answered; "look here."

I had turned to go away as I gave my reply, but now I stopped and looked

at her. As a rough unsightly bud might suddenly blossom into the most

lovely flower; or rather, as a sunbeam bursts through a shapeless cloud,

and transfigures the earth; so burst a face of resplendent beauty, as it

were THROUGH the unsightly visage of the woman, destroying it with light

as it dawned through it. A summer sky rose above me, gray with heat;

across a shining slumberous landscape, looked from afar the peaks of

snow-capped mountains; and down from a great rock beside me fell a sheet

of water mad with its own delight.

"Stay with me," she said, lifting up her exquisite face, and looking

full in mine.

I drew back. Again the infernal laugh grated upon my ears; again the

rocks closed in around me, and the ugly woman looked at me with wicked,

mocking hazel eyes.

"You shall have your reward," said she. "You shall see your white lady

again."

"That lies not with you," I replied, and turned and left her.

She followed me with shriek upon shriek of laughter, as I went on my

way.

I may mention here, that although there was always light enough to see

my path and a few yards on every side of me, I never could find out the

source of this sad sepulchral illumination.