Page:The collected works of Henrik Ibsen (Volume 5).djvu/490

454 *morrow will come the battle. You will conquer

I—conquer? You do not know who was with me an hour ago.

Who was with you?

I had fallen asleep on my couch in the tent. Suddenly I was awakened by a strong red glare, that seemed to burn through my closed eye-lids. I looked up and beheld a figure standing in the tent. Over its head was a long drapery, falling on both sides, so as to leave the face free.

Knew you this figure?

It was the same face which I saw in the light that night at Ephesus, many years ago,—that night when we held symposium with the two others.

The spirit of the empire.

Since then it has appeared to me once in Gaul,—on an occasion I would fain forget.

Did it speak?