Surely it was a dream, nothing but a dream.

He felt no tremors, no cold wind stirred his hair; his heart did not stand still, nor his breath come short.

Why should a man fear so beautiful a dream?
Yet, vaguely enough, he wished that it might last forever, for it was sweet to see her so--as she had been.
As she had been--yet, was she ever thus?
Surely some wand of change had touched her.

She was beautiful, but had she worn that beauty?
And those eyes! Could any such have shone in the face of woman?
"Stella," he whispered, and from roof and walls crept back the echo of his voice.

He rose and went towards her.