"Eternal night, oh, lovely night, oh, holy night of love." Rapture
succeeded rapture, and the souls of the lovers rose, nearer to the
surface of life. In a shudder of silver chords he saw them float away
like little clouds towards the low rim of the universe.
But at that moment of escape reality broke in upon the dream. Melot had
betrayed them, and Ulick heard King Mark's noble and grave reproaches
like a prophecy, "Thou wert my friend and didst deceive me," he sang,
and his melancholy motive seemed to echo like a cry along the shore of
Ulick's own life. Amid calm and mysteriously exalted melodies,
expressive of the terror and pathos of fate fulfilled, Tristan's resolve
took shape, and as he fell mortally wounded, the melancholy Mark motive
was heard again, and again Ulick asked what meaning it might have for
him. He heard the applause, loud in the stalls, growing faint as it rose
tier above tier. Baskets of flowers, wreaths and bouquets were thrown
from the boxes or handed up from the orchestra, the curtain was rung up
again, and her name was called from different parts of the theatre. And
when the curtain was down for the last time, he saw her in the middle of
the stage talking to Tristan and Brangäne. The garden scene was being
carried away, and to escape from it Evelyn took Tristan's hand and ran
to the spot where Ulick was standing. She loosed the hand of her stage
lover, and dropping a bouquet, held out two small hands to Ulick covered
with violet powder. The hallucination of the great love scene was still
in her eyes; it still, he could see, surged in her blood. She had nearly
thrown herself into his arms, seemed regardless of those around; she
seemed to have only eyes for him; he heard her say under her breath,"
That music maddens me," then with sudden composure, but looking at him
intently, she asked him to come upstairs with her.
For the last few days he had been engaged in prediction, and last night
he had been visited by dreams, the significance of which he could not
doubt. But his reading of her horoscope had been incomplete, or else he
had failed to understand the answers. That he was a momentous event in
her life seemed clear, yet all the signs were set against their
marriage; but what was happening had been revealed--that he should stand
with her in a room where the carpet was blue, and they were there; that
the furniture should be of last century, and he examined the cabinets in
the corners, which were satinwood inlaid with delicate traceries, and on
the walls were many mirrors and gold and mahogany frames.
"Merat!" The maid came from the dressing-room. "You have some friends in
front. You can go and sit with them. I sha'n't want you till the end."
When the door closed, their eyes met, and they trembled and were in
dread. "Come and sit by me." She indicated his place by her side on the
sofa. "We are all alone. Talk to me. How did I sing to-night?"
"Never did the music ever mean so much as it did to-night," he said,
sitting down.
"What did it mean?"
"Everything. All the beauty and the woe of existence were in the music
to-night."
Their thoughts wandered from the music, and an effort was required to
return to it.
"Do you remember," she said, with a little gasp in her voice, "how the
music sinks into the slumber motive, 'Hark, beloved;' then he answers,
'Let me die'?"
"Yes, and with the last note the undulating tune of the harps begins in
the orchestra. Brangäne is heard warning them."