"If I cannot, can any one?"
The Phantom, standing like a statue, kept its gaze upon him for a
while; then turned its head suddenly, and looked upon the shadow at
its side.
"Ah! Can she?" cried Redlaw, still looking upon the shade.
The Phantom released the hand it had retained till now, and softly
raised its own with a gesture of dismissal. Upon that, her shadow,
still preserving the same attitude, began to move or melt away.
"Stay," cried Redlaw with an earnestness to which he could not give
enough expression. "For a moment! As an act of mercy! I know
that some change fell upon me, when those sounds were in the air
just now. Tell me, have I lost the power of harming her? May I go
near her without dread? Oh, let her give me any sign of hope!"
The Phantom looked upon the shade as he did - not at him - and gave
no answer.
"At least, say this - has she, henceforth, the consciousness of any
power to set right what I have done?"
"She has not," the Phantom answered.
"Has she the power bestowed on her without the consciousness?"
The phantom answered: "Seek her out."
And her shadow slowly vanished.
They were face to face again, and looking on each other, as
intently and awfully as at the time of the bestowal of the gift,
across the boy who still lay on the ground between them, at the
Phantom's feet.
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