The Man Who Laughs Part II, Book the Third, Chapter VIII - Symptoms of Poisoning

In which the young Gwynplaine encounters, as if for the first time, the enigmatic and distant vision of a noblewoman whose very presence kindles within him a tumultuous mixture of longing and reverence, stirring the delicate balance between earthly desire and celestial affection. This ethereal experience, fleeting and remote, washes over his spirit like a passing dream, revealing the vast depths and intricate struggles of the human heart without disturbing the steadfast love he bears for his beloved Dea.