While its words were still upon my lips I dropped asleep and dreamed a most dreadful dream.
I dreamed that Stella and I were standing together to be married.
She was dressed in white, and radiant with beauty, but it was a wild, spiritual beauty which frightened me.

Her eyes shone like stars, a pale flame played about her features, and the wind that blew did not stir her hair.

Nor was this all, for her white robes were death wrappings, and the altar at which we stood was formed of the piled-up earth from an open grave that yawned between us.

So we stood waiting for one to wed us, but no one came.

Presently from the open grave sprang the form of Hendrika.