'There is no danger in my promising that,' said Oscar. 'Let it be so if you wish.'
'Very well!' said Kanker again; and then they both went to the vase.
'Where is she?' asked Ranker. 'I don't see her.'
'Oh, she has gone into her shell; it is late--she must be asleep by this time,' answered Oscar. 'You must wait until to-morrow.'
'That won't do!' said Kanker. 'The agreement was for this evening. If you back out, you become my servant.'
'It shall be this evening, then,' replied Oscar; 'but you will regret it more than I!' And stooping over the vase, he called, 'Theeda! Theeda! wake up! come out!'
They waited a moment. There was no movement in the great pearl shell, and Theeda did not appear.
'Come! there's enough of this nonsense!' Kanker exclaimed. 'You may as well make up your mind at once to being my servant.'
'Not yet!' said Oscar, scornfully, and he called in a louder voice, 'Come out, Theeda! Come out--I want you!'
The shell stirred slightly, but still Theeda did not appear. Kanker laughed.
Then Oscar grew angry, and in a harsh tone he cried, 'Theeda, come out! or I shall not love you or believe in you any more!'
The sun had set long ago, and the sky was almost dark; but now, through a break in the clouds, the moon shone down, white and clear, into the crystal vase. It gleamed upon the pearly shell; and in its cold lustre Oscar saw the tiny water-maiden, whom he had loved better than anything else in the world, and who was the most precious thing that the world contained, come slowly out of her shell, and stand downcast and drooping before him. Then he felt that, in his anger, and in his desire to be revenged on his enemy, he had done a wicked thing, which could not be forgiven. He had shown what was most sacred and dear to his own soul to one who could neither believe in her nor reverence her. His heart was filled with bitter sorrow and repentance; but again it was too late.
For, as Theeda stood there in the moonlight, drooping amidst her shadowy mist of hair, Kanker put out his hideous red hand, that was less like a hand than like a crab's claw, and plunging it into the water, he tried to grasp Theeda round the waist. But his fingers met together, and behold! no Theeda was there. She had faded into nothingness where she stood; or else the shadow of a cloud which at that moment passed across the room, and made the vase and the room dark again, had caused her to become invisible. Before she disappeared, however, she bent one sad reproachful look upon Oscar, and he knew that he had seen his mother's spirit in her eyes. He understood all then; but it was too late indeed!