Page:The fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen (c1899).djvu/49

 The fairy then made him a sign with her eyes, and cried most sweetly: “Come with me! Come with me!” And he rushed towards her, forgetting his promise, though it was but the first evening, and she continued to beckon to him and to smile. The spicy perfumes around grew yet more intoxicating; the harps sounded sweeter; and it was as if the millions of smiling faces in the room, where grew the tree, nodded and sang: “We must know everything! Man is the lord of the earth!” And there were no more tears of blood dropping down from the leaves of the Tree of Knowledge; but he thought he saw red sparkling stars instead.

“Come with me! come with me!” said the thrilling tones; and at each step the prince’s cheeks glowed more intensely, and his blood rushed more wildly.

“I must!” said he; “it is no sin, and cannot be one! Why not follow when beauty calls? I will see her asleep; and provided I do not Kiss her, there will be no harm done—and kiss I will not, for I have strength to resist, and a firm will.”

And the fairy cast aside her dazzling attire, bent back the boughs, and in another moment was completely concealed.

“I have not yet sinned,” said the prince, “and do not intend to sin!” And then he pushed the boughs aside; there she lay already asleep, and lovely as only the fairy of the Garden of the World is privileged to be. She smiled in her dreams; yet as he bent over her, he saw tears trembling between her eyelashes.

“And do you weep for me?” whispered he. “Oh, weep not, most admirable of women! I