"Eric lay now, stretched at the feet of the woman he could not leave" — Edmund Dulac's illustration for the Queen of Roumania's 's "The Dreamer of Dreams"

Eric lay now, stretched at the feet of the woman he could not leave.

Edmund Dulac, 1882-1953

1900

Source: the Queen of Roumania's The Dreamer of Dreams, 39.

See below for passage illustrated

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This youth was in truth but a child, his hands grasping at the sun-rays, plucking the flowers, taking the joys that were offered him, lightly laughing at the birds, sublimely unconscious that perhaps something might be asked of him in return.

Often he begged the one who held him captive to uncover her eyes, explaining that although he was happy in his new surroundings he could not tarry for ever; the open world lay before him through which he was still pursuing the same vision.

But again and again his companion put him off with fresh promises — heaping upon him new joys and pleasures, till he felt weary of so much ease and comfort; there were even times when he had a longing for the dusty roads, —the heat of the sun — the dangers of the dark night— for storm and wind.

At those moments the strange woman seemed to read his thoughts in spite of the bandage over her eyes; and she would redouble her kindness, always having a fresh joy in store for him, something unexpected and enchanting.

Eric lay now, as the lion used to lie, stretched at the feet of the woman he could not leave.

To-day she sat upon a marble bench within a garden where nearly all the flowers were blue. The garden was small and square, paved with marble; two narrow water channels, lined with peacock-blue tiles, ran crossways through it. In the centre stood a marble well; those who leaned over the side to look into the depths noticed that the water was blue as the sea, and strange voices seemed calling from below with monotonous entreaty. [39-40]

Bibliography

[Sylva, Carmen] The Queen of Roumania. The Dreamer of Dreams. London, New York, and Toronto: Hodder and Stoughton, [1900]. Internet Archive version of a copy in the University of California Library. Web. 8 January 2013

Last modified 9 January 2013