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Phantastes, a Faerie Romance for Men and Women by George MacDonald
page 77 of 253 (30%)
conscious of the presence of another in a room where he has, for
hours, considered himself alone, I saw that the seemingly
luminous extremity was a sky, as of night, beheld through the
long perspective of a narrow, dark passage, through what, or
built of what, I could not tell. As I gazed, I clearly discerned
two or three stars glimmering faintly in the distant blue. But,
suddenly, and as if it had been running fast from a far distance
for this very point, and had turned the corner without abating
its swiftness, a dark figure sped into and along the passage from
the blue opening at the remote end. I started back and
shuddered, but kept looking, for I could not help it. On and on
it came, with a speedy approach but delayed arrival; till, at
last, through the many gradations of approach, it seemed to come
within the sphere of myself, rushed up to me, and passed me into
the cottage. All I could tell of its appearance was, that it
seemed to be a dark human figure. Its motion was entirely
noiseless, and might be called a gliding, were it not that it
appeared that of a runner, but with ghostly feet. I had moved
back yet a little to let him pass me, and looked round after him
instantly. I could not see him.

"Where is he?" I said, in some alarm, to the woman, who still sat
reading.

"There, on the floor, behind you," she said, pointing with her
arm half-outstretched, but not lifting her eyes. I turned and
looked, but saw nothing. Then with a feeling that there was yet
something behind me, I looked round over my shoulder; and there,
on the ground, lay a black shadow, the size of a man. It was so
dark, that I could see it in the dim light of the lamp, which
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