Psyche's Wanderings, Chapters VI-IX [pp. 617-630]

Psyche's Wanderings.
"Perhaps you are the spirit of a dead
woman who makes use of one of the
sisters as a medium."
"No; my experiences have all been
earthly. I have no personal knowledge
of a life beyond the grave."
"Your riddle is hard to read; I despair of it. Why are you not willing to
clear up some of this mystery?"
"You disturb me with your questions,
and give me no chance. Wait a little,
and perhaps I can help you."
"Forgive me; I see that I have been
too impatient; but you have puzzled
me till I am almost vexed."
"Be patient. Give me a little time. I
am very, very sorry to have vexed you."
"And I am sorry that I hurried you.
I will do so no more."
All this while our hands had been
clasped. I could hear her breathing;
and from her garments came a faint,
fragrant perfume.
Queer emotions began to steal over
me, as we sat there in silence; and I
realized that I was alone with the woman
who had read the deepest secrets of my
soul, and who was herself so singularly
unknown to me. Mysterious, and possessed of a strange power, yet she was
human, real, substantial; her face was
even familiar to me, if, as I believed, she
was one of the three girls who dwelt in
the house back there among the trees.
The feeling came over me that it matered not which one of the three sisters
she was. I felt that I could love any, one
of those fair maidens, if that one should
prove to be Psyche.
Suddenly the woman reached out her
arms toward me, extending the cloak
with them as she did so. For an instant
I scarcely understood; then with a thrill
of wondering pleasure, I leaned towards
her. In a moment her arms were around
me, her veiled face was pressed against
mine, and she was murmuring words of
tenderness.
"Psyche! Psyche!" I whispered,
"what does this mean?"
"It means that I love you," she answered. "Quincy, Quincy, 0 my darling! my own boy! I have been with
you many and many a time when you
thought yourself alone. I have been
with you on the prairie, in the woods,
in places where there were people, and
in the silence of your own room. Your
life has become a part of mine, and I
want you with me, constantly, in body
as well as spirit. I know you have longed
for a dear companion; and yet you have
shrank from wooing women, fearing you
might win one who would love you
thinking you different from your real
self. Is it not sweet to be loved by one
who knows you just as you are,-who
knows your thoughts, your sins and
follies, your hopes and fears, and all
your indefinable emotions? Tell me,
Quincy, does it not make you happy to
be so loved?"
"Yes, yes, Psyche, it does; but I do
not understand. For Heaven's sake
tell me who you are and zwhat you are."
She drew back a little.
"I am a woman, and my name is
Psyche," she said.
"But the mystery about you?"
"It is a mystery to me as well as you;
when I understand it better, I will give
you such an explanation as I can."
"Yes, but you could tell me something now."
I might."
"And you could let me see your face."
"Quincy, if you could choose the face
that you would see upon my lifting this
veil, what face, whose face would you
choose?"
"You know my thoughts."
"Not now; only at times. Please
answer me."
"I think I know what face is behind
that veil, and I am satisfied."
Psyche was silent.
After waiting a moment, I said, "And
now will you raise the veil?"
"I would rather not, Quincy," she
replied; "it is my soul, my real self,
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[Dec.