When she looked towards the second door, her tears ceased to flow, but
sighs took their place. She often closed her eyes as she stood; and
every time she closed her eyes, a gentle sigh seemed to be born in her
heart, and to escape at her lips. But when her eyes were open, her
sighs were deep and very sad, and shook her whole frame. Then she turned
towards the third door, and a cry as of fear or suppressed pain broke
from her; but she seemed to hearten herself against the dismay, and
to front it steadily; for, although I often heard a slight cry, and
sometimes a moan, yet she never moved or bent her head, and I felt sure
that her eyes never closed. Then she turned to the fourth door, and
I saw her shudder, and then stand still as a statue; till at last she
turned towards me and approached the fire. I saw that her face was white
as death. But she gave one look upwards, and smiled the sweetest, most
child-innocent smile; then heaped fresh wood on the fire, and, sitting
down by the blaze, drew her wheel near her, and began to spin. While
she spun, she murmured a low strange song, to which the hum of the wheel
made a kind of infinite symphony. At length she paused in her spinning
and singing, and glanced towards me, like a mother who looks whether
or not her child gives signs of waking. She smiled when she saw that my
eyes were open. I asked her whether it was day yet. She answered, "It is
always day here, so long as I keep my fire burning."
I felt wonderfully refreshed; and a great desire to see more of the
island awoke within me. I rose, and saying that I wished to look about
me, went towards the door by which I had entered.
"Stay a moment," said my hostess, with some trepidation in her voice.
"Listen to me. You will not see what you expect when you go out of that
door. Only remember this: whenever you wish to come back to me, enter
wherever you see this mark."
She held up her left hand between me and the fire. Upon the palm, which
appeared almost transparent, I saw, in dark red, a mark like this -->
which I took care to fix in my mind.
She then kissed me, and bade me good-bye with a solemnity that awed me;
and bewildered me too, seeing I was only going out for a little ramble
in an island, which I did not believe larger than could easily be
compassed in a few hours' walk at most. As I went she resumed her
spinning.