Thenightcame,andsuddenlythecompanywasthere。Iwaswonderingwithmyselfwhether,nightafternight,theywouldthusgoondancingtoalleternity,andwhetherIshouldnotonedayhavetojointhembecauseofmystiff—neckedness,whentheeyesofthechildrencameopen,andtheysprangtotheirfeet,wideawake。
Immediatelyeveryonecaughtholdofadancer,andawaytheywent,boundingandskipping。Thespectresseemedtoseeandwelcomethem:
perhapstheyknewallabouttheLittleOnes,fortheyhadthemselveslongbeenontheirwaybacktochildhood！Anyhow,theirinnocentgambolsmust,Ithought,bringrefreshmenttowearysoulswho,theirpresenttakenfromthemandtheirfuturedark,hadnolifesavetheshadowoftheirvanishedpast。Manyamerrybutneverarudeprankdidthechildrenplay;andiftheydidattimescauseamomentaryjarintherhythmofthedance,thepoorspectres,whohadnothingtosmilewithal,atleastmanifestednoannoyance。
Justerethemorningbegantobreak,Istartedtoseetheskeleton—princessinthedoorway,hereyesopenandglowing,thefearfulspotblackonherside。Shestoodforamoment,thencameglidingin,asifshewouldjointhedance。Isprangtomyfeet。
Acryofrepugnantfearbrokefromthechildren,andthelightsvanished。Butthelowmoonlookedin,andIsawthemclingingtoeachother。Theghostsweregone——atleasttheywerenolongervisible。Theprincesstoohaddisappeared。IdartedtothespotwhereIhadlefther:shelaywithhereyesclosed,asifshehadnevermoved。Ireturnedtothehall。TheLittleOneswerealreadyonthefloor,composingthemselvestosleep。