the meanwhile
the lady, intent on her dancing, did not glance in my direction, but I
could afford to wait. At last she lifted her arms to make the curtsy at
the end of the minuet, I went up instinctively as if I were about to
dance with her; she looked me in the face, and fled.

I constrained myself; but now that there could be no doubt my shuddering
fit returned, and I made haste to sit down. A cold sweat bedewed my face
and my whole body. Edgar advised me to take a cup of tea but I begged him
to leave me alone for a few moments.

I was afraid that I was on the point of death; I trembled all over, and
my heart beat so rapidly that I could not have stood up had I wished.

At last, instead of dying, I got new life. What a wonderful change I
experienced! Little by little my peace of mind returned, and I could
enjoy the glitter of the multitudinous wax lights. By slow degrees I
passed through all the shades of feeling between despair and an ecstasy
of joy. My soul and mind were so astonished by the shock that I began to
think I should never see Edgar again.

"This young man," I said to myself, "is my good genius, my guardian
angel, my familiar spirit, who has taken the form of Edgar to restore me
to my senses again."

I should certainly have persisted in this idea if my friend had not
reappeared before very long.

Chance might have thrown him in the way of one of those seductive
creatures who make one forget everything else; he might have left
Ranelagh without having time to tell me he was going, and I should have
gone back to London feeling perfectly certain that I had only seen his
earthly shape. Should I have been disabused if I had seen him a few days
after? Possibly; but I am not sure of it. I have always had a hankering
after superstition, of which I do not boast; but I confess the fact, and
leave the reader to judge me.

However, he came back in high spirits, but anxious about me. He was
surprised to find me full of animation, and to hear me talking in a
pleasant strain on the surrounding objects and persons.

"Why, you are laughing!" said he, "your sadness has departed, then?"

"Yes, good genius, but I am hungry, and I want you to do me a favour, if
you have no other pressing engagements."

"I am free till the day after to-morrow, and till then you can do what
you like with me."

"I owe my life to you, but to make your gift complete I want you to spend
this night and the whole of the next day with me."