Cupid Warns Psyche Again

Cupid was afraid. Psyche was naive and had seen nothing of the sisters' animosity toward her. He had to find a way to convince her not to listen to them, not even to see them. If he didn't, Psyche would unwittingly destroy their relationship, and he did not know what he would do without her.

That night, in the darkness of the bedchamber, he told her again, "My love, you are in great danger."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Thomasina and Calla want to destroy you."

"Me?" she laughed nervously. "They are my sisters. They would not do anything to hurt me."

"Please listen to me. They are going to try to persuade you to look at my face. You must not. Indeed, if they try to visit you again, please do not let them come here."

"That would hurt their feelings. Please don't ask that of me."

"Very well. But you must not answer any of their questions about me. Do you understand?"

"No. My sisters are as curious about you as I am. Why won't you tell me who you are? Why won't you let me see your face?"

"You do not need to see my face to love me."

"No, but I would love you even more if I could see your face."

"But what if you saw my face and loved me less?"

"That would not be possible."

"How can you be sure?"

Psyche realized that she couldn't. She would have liked to think that she would still love him, but she could not say with certainty that she would have, and that made her feel ashamed.

"One more thing I need to tell you before I go," Cupid said, interrupting her thoughts. "You are carrying my child."

"What?" she exclaimed in joy and disbelief. "How do you know? I don't feel anything."

"I know much. For now, all you need to know is this: if you are able to resist your sisters when they implore you to look at my face, our child will be born divine. But if you disobey me, our child will be mortal. Do you understand?"

"Yes. Yes, I do," she responded eagerly, but she answered too quickly and with exaggerated emotion. "I don't think you trust me," she continued, tears in her voice. "When my sisters were here, did I betray you in any way?"

Reluctantly, Cupid admitted that she had not.

"You act as if I do not know how to take care of myself. I do. That is riot the problem. You, my love, do not understand how terribly lonely I get during the day. You do not know how slowly the day crawls past as I sit and wait for your return. When my sisters visit, it helps time go faster. The minutes when I will be with you again are not as far apart when my sisters come and distract me from thinking of you.

"I promise that if you let me see them again, I will never again be curious to see what you look like."

With great reluctance Cupid agreed, but as he flew away that night, it was with tears in his eyes. He knew. All was lost.

Chapter end