He stood, spellbound by curiosity.
Suddenly the voice ceased, and a woman's figure came forward to the window, and stood motionless, gazing upward at the spangled star-world overhead, and seeming to drink in the glory, and the silence, and the rich perfume....

Could it be she?
Every pulse in his body throbbed madly....

Could it be?
What was she doing?
He could not distinguish the features; but the full blaze of the eastern moon showed him an upturned brow, between a golden stream of glittering tresses which hid her whole figure, except the white hands clasped upon her bosom....

Was she praying?
were these her midnight sorceries ?....
And still his heart throbbed and throbbed, till he almost fancied she must hear its noisy beat--and still she stood motionless, gazing upon the sky, like some exquisite chryselephantine statue, all ivory and gold.

And behind her, round the bright room within, painting, books, a whole world of unknown science and beauty....