Chapter 18 Chapter Eighteen

With this painful situation that we can no longer control, will it have a happy ending? ...who can hope for that? ...How can it be hopeless to think that Mira will be excluded from the visual world forever! ... It is a great happiness to regain her, but we will never see her beautiful figure, peerless appearance, what a pain it is! How could one imagine what kind of life the Rothlichs would lead under such circumstances! First up the hall, Mira among us: she utters a desperate cry...she tries to see herself, but can't see...she rushes to the mirror in front of the fireplace, no image of herself...she goes to the lampstand, the light He didn't even project his own figure! ...

We had to tell her the truth.We hear her whimpering as Mark kneels by her chair, trying to soothe her pain.Can see her, he loves her, can't see her, he still loves him.Seeing this scene, everyone's heart was broken. The doctor told Mira to go to her mother's room.It would be better for Mrs. Rötlich to know that her daughter was with her and listened to her. A few days later!Mira resigned.She survived with her strong perseverance.The Rotelichs seem to be returning to normal life quickly.She makes her presence felt by talking to one person, joking with that person, and asking us questions.I still seem to hear her say:

"Here I am, my friends. . . What do you want? I'll fetch it for you! . . . Dear Henry, what are you looking for? . . . Here are the books you just put on the table! . . . Your newspaper? . . . It fell on the floor!...Daddy...this is my usual time to hug you!...You, my brother, why are you looking at me so sadly?...I promise you, I have a smile on my face! … Why do you trouble yourself! And you... you, dear Mark, these are my hands... take them... would you like to go to the garden?... let's go for a walk together... Henry, take your Give me your arm, and let's have a chat!"

This lovely, kind girl does not want to bring a shadow to her family.Mark spends long hours with her.Mira asked him to hold his hands, and kept encouraging him... Trying to comfort him, saying that she is full of confidence in the future, and that one day, she will be seen by everyone again... Does she really have this hope in her heart? There was only one change in our lives, the only change, and that was that Mira didn't dine at our table.She knew in her heart that her presence at this time would make everyone miserable.But as soon as supper was over, she went down into the drawing-room again, and they heard her open and close the door, saying:

"Here I am, friends, here I am!" Only when it was bedtime did she say goodnight and leave us. If the disappearance of Mira Rotlich caused a stir in the town, it goes without saying that her reappearance - I can't find another word for it! ——The repercussions aroused were even greater!Sincere and incomparable sympathy poured in from all directions, and the family was full of people.Mira no longer went out for walks on foot.She only went out by car, accompanied by her parents, Mark and Captain Haralan.Sometimes, she heard people's kind words, they have been drilled into her heart, and she was deeply moved.But she would rather sit in the garden, with her loved ones, at least mentally, she is whole!

People haven't forgotten Haiermen.After the death of William Storitz, Governor Raz ordered a manhunt for him.At that time, everyone thought that Mira was imprisoned by him. Now, the hunt will continue, because people think that since he is the master's confidant, he may know part of the master's secrets, and people have no doubt that he can restore Mira's body. In fact, since William Stolitz could turn invisible and visible at will, he would, and so would Hylmen.Once a servant is caught, he can be forced to confide his secrets, whether by promising him a large sum of money, or by threatening him to take the place of his master. Isn't that one of the most heinous crimes?

So, the police chased the man day and night.The case has aroused huge repercussions in the society.Newspapers reported the case in detail, and people all over the world learned about it.Everyone is very interested in Mira Rotelich!Everyone talks about the invention of the German chemist: it has terrible consequences for the safety of society, whether the only one who holds the secret will leak it... If there were anyone who knew the art of invisibility except Helmen, they would definitely not be able to resist the lure of huge bounties: from the Rothlich family, and from the police departments of the old and new worlds.

But no one informed, so it can be concluded that William Stolitz's servant should be the only one who knew. Mr. Staparker's investigation also went nowhere.But German authorities have cast their nets.It is well known that the Prussian police are the most capable in Europe.But it was impossible to find the hiding place of Hylmen, whether in Raz or elsewhere. Why!It won't take long for everyone to believe that all those manhunts are wasting energy! In order to completely remove the traces of this nightmare, the city government of Raz decided to destroy the ruins left on Dai Kaili Street.The rubble was carried away, several broken walls were pulled down, and the house standing alone by the boulevard exists only in people's memory.

On the morning of June 2, the workers came to the house to clean up the debris.They found a dead body deep in the garden.People recognized it immediately, it was Hailemen.The old servant came to the former residence as invisible as his master, and when he died, he also revealed his original shape.After examination, it was found that he died of visceral rupture. The last ray of hope was also dashed.William Stolitz's secret became eternal with Hylman's death. The documents confiscated from the Daiquiri Street are deposited in the municipality.After careful inspection, only some vague formulas and concepts that are incomprehensible in physics and chemistry were found.It is impossible to deduce the composition of the substance that can hide and appear at any time!

Could poor Meera reappear before us only when her life was exhausted and she lay on death's bed? On the morning of June 5, Mark found me.I think he looks much calmer.he told me: "Dear Henry, I have come to the following decision, and you are the first person I want to tell it to. I think you will agree, and all will agree." I would say yes, why not?I had a hunch what he was going to say. "My friend," I replied, "speak with confidence! . . . I know you listen only to the voice of reason. . . . " "Sense and love, Henry! Myra has become my legal wife, but she lacks religious recognition, and I demand religious recognition... I want religious recognition..."

I pulled my brother into my arms and said to him: "I understand you, Mark, I don't see any difficulty in that..." "The only difficulty may come from Mira," Mark replied. "Mira is going to kneel with me at the altar! If God can't see her, at least he can hear her declare that she will marry me, and I will marry her." Wife! I don’t think the church will embarrass us, otherwise I’ll go…” "No, dear Mark, no, I'm in charge of everything..." I first went to see the priest of the church.The last time, the wedding mass he presided over, had to be aborted due to unprecedented desecration.The venerable old man replied that he had already considered this situation, and Archbishop Raz submitted it to the Holy See for approval, which was granted as an exception.Undoubtedly, the bride is a living person, and from now on she can accept the canon of marriage. In the end, the marriage celebration was scheduled for June 12. On the eve of the wedding, Mira said to me as before: "Tomorrow, brother! . . . Don't forget!" Same as last time, the wedding was held in St. Michael's Cathedral, with the same grand scene, the same witnesses, the same relatives and friends, and the same crowd of spectators. I saw that this time people came with greater curiosity, which is understandable and forgivable!Perhaps, some of the guests were still uneasy; only time will wash everything away!Will do!William Storitz is dead!yes!His servant Hylmon also died in the garden of that accursed house... But more than one may wonder: Will this second wedding Mass be interrupted like the first... Will there be new ones? A strange phenomenon disrupting the wedding ceremony? Now, the couple sits on the choir.Mira's chair looked empty.But there she was, in her white bridal gown, as invisible as she was... Mark stands, leaning towards Mira.He couldn't see her, but he knew she was with him, and he took her hand to confirm her presence at the altar. Behind them sat the witnesses: Judge Namang, Captain Haralan, Lieutenant Almgard, and myself.And then the Rothlichs, the poor mother, kneeling on the ground, praying to the Almighty for a miracle for her daughter! . . . and hope that a miracle will be wrought in this temple of the Lord.Friends gathered around, and the dignitaries in the city packed the hall to the brim, and even the corridors on both sides were full of people. Bells rang in the hall, and the pipe organ played melodious and pleasant music. The priest and deacons arrived.Mass begins.Amidst the singing of the children in the choir, the wedding ceremony went on.After the dedication ceremony, Mark was seen leading Meera to the first steps of the altar...and when the alms fell into the deacon's purse, he led Meera back to her seat. Finally, three crisp bells sounded, and the ceremony of lifting the Eucharist began.The Eucharistic loaf was lifted into the air, and this time, the consecration ceremony ended in the silence of the believers!Mass was over, and the old priest turned to face the crowd.Mark and Mira went up to him and asked: "Are you here, Mira Rotelich?" "I'm here," Mira replied. He asked Mark again: "Mark Vidal, would you like to marry Mira Routledge?" "I would." Mark replied. "Mila Rotelich, would you like Marc Vidal to be your husband?" "I would." Mira replied.Everyone heard her voice. "Marc Vidal," the priest continued, "can you promise that, as a husband, you will remain faithful to your wife?" "I can... I promise." "Mila Rotelich, can you promise, as a wife, that you will remain faithful to your husband?" "I can... I promise." A holy marriage unites Mark and Mira. After the ceremony, the newlyweds, witnesses, and friends struggled their way through the crowd to the sacristy. Next to Mark Vidal's name was added another name in the register of the church administration: Mira Routledge—and this was written by an invisible hand!