Call it by the common fool's name of Love; call it what you
will. I was fascinated by your sister Nora, even as others had been
fascinated by me, even as I had been in my youth by the bountiful,
gracious beauty of Nature."
"I have wanted to ask you," said Lefevre, "for an explanation of your
conduct towards Nora. Why did you--with your awful life--life which, as
you say, was not your own, and your extraordinary secret--why did you
remain near her, and entangle her with your fascinations? What did you
desire?--what did you hope for?"
"I scarcely know for what I hoped. But let me speak of her; for she has
traversed and completely eclipsed my former vision of Nature. I have
told you what my point of view was,--alone in the midst of Nature. I was
for myself the only consciousness in the world, and all the world
besides was merely a variety of material and impression, to be observed
and known, to be interested in and delighted with. I was thus lonely,
lonely as a despot, when Nora, your sister, appeared to me, and
instantly I became aware there was another consciousness in the world as
great as, or greater than, my own,--another person than myself, a person
of supreme beauty and intelligence and faculty.
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