Heartily ashamed at my cowardice, I got up, and, stepping briskly
forward, soon reached the stained-glass window.
Pressing my face against the pane, I peered through it, and there
immediately beneath me lay the flowers, glorified into dazzling gold
by the yellow colour of the glass. The sight thrilled me with joy--it
was sublime. My instinct had not deceived me, this was indeed the
long-looked-for home of the genii.
The temperature, which had been high, abnormally so for June, now
underwent an abrupt change, and a chill current of air, sweeping down
on me from the rear, made my teeth chatter. I involuntarily shrank
back from the window, and, as I did so, to my utter astonishment it
disappeared, and I saw, in its place, a room.
It was a long, low room, and opposite to me, at the farthest
extremity, was a large bay window, through which I could see the
nodding tops of the trees. The furniture was all green and of a
lighter, daintier make than any I had hitherto seen. The walls were
covered with pictures, the mantelshelf with flowers. Whilst I was
busily employed noting all these details, the door of the room opened,
and the threshold was gorgeously illuminated by a brilliant sunbeam,
from which suddenly evolved the figure of a young and lovely girl.
I can see her now as I saw her then--tall, and slender, with masses
of golden hair, waved artistically aside from a low forehead of
snowy white; finely-pencilled brows, and long eyes of the most
lustrous violet; a straight, delicately-moulded nose, a firm,
beautifully-proportioned chin, and a bewitching mouth.
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