childrentold
me
afterward
that
they
sent
him
"
such
a
many
bumps
of
big
apples
and
stones
"
that
he
was
frightened
,
and
ran
blundering
home
.
When
I
came
to
myself
it
was
night
.
Above
me
were
a
few
pale
stars
that
expected
the
moon
.
I
thought
I
was
alone
.
My
head
ached
badly
,
and
I
was
terribly
athirst
.
I
turned
wearily
on
my
side
.
The
moment
my
ear
touched
the
ground
,
I
heard
the
gushing
and
gurgling
of
water
,
and
the
soft
noises
made
me
groan
with
longing
.
At
once
I
was
amid
a
multitude
of
silent
children
,
and
delicious
little
fruits
began
to
visit
my
lips
.
They
came
and
came
until
my
thirst
was
gone
.
Then
I
was
aware
of
sounds
I
had
never
heard
there
before
;
the
air
was
full
of
little
sobs
.
I
tried
to
sit
up
.
A
pile
of
small
bodies
instantly
heaped
itself
at
my
back
.
Then
I
struggled
to
my
feet
,
with
much
pushing
and
pulling
from
the
Little
Ones
,
who
were
wonderfully
strong
for
their
size
.
"
You
must
go
away
,
good
giant
,
"
they
said
.
"
When
the
bad
giants
see
you
hurt
,
they
will
all
trample
on
you
.
"
"
I
think
I
must
,
"
I
answered
.
"
Go
and
grow
strong
,
and
come
again
,
"
they
said
.
"
I
will
,
"
I
replied
—
and
sat
down
.
"
Indeed
you
must
go
at
once
!
"
whispered
Lona
,
who
had
been
supporting
me
,
and
now
knelt
beside
me
.
"
I
listened
at
his
door
,
"
said
one
of
the
bigger
boys
,
"
and
heard
the
bad
giant
say
to
his
wife
that
he
had
found
you
idle
,
talking
to
a
lot
of
moles
and
squirrels
,
and
when
he
beat
you
,
they
tried
to
kill
him
.
He
said
you
were
a
wizard
,
and
they
must
knock
you
,
or
they
would
have
no
peace
.
"
"
I
will
go
at
once
,
"
I
said
,
"
and
come
back
as
soon
as
I
have
found
out
what
is
wanted
to
make
you
bigger
and
stronger
.
"
"
We
do
n't
want
to
be
bigger
,
"
they
answered
,
looking
very
serious
.
"
We
wo
n't
grow
bad
giants
!
—
We
are
strong
now
;
you
do
n't
know
how
much
strong
!
"
It
was
no
use
holding
them
out
a
prospect
that
had
not
any
attraction
for
them
!
I
said
nothing
more
,
but
rose
and
moved
slowly
up
the
slope
of
the
valley
.
At
once
they
formed
themselves
into
a
long
procession
;
some
led
the
way
,
some
walked
with
me
helping
me
,
and
the
rest
followed
.
They
kept
feeding
me
as
we
went
.
"
You
are
broken
,
"
they
said
,
"
and
much
red
juice
has
run
out
of
you
:
put
some
in
.
"
When
we
reached
the
edge
of
the
valley
,
there
was
the
moon
just
lifting
her
forehead
over
the
rim
of
the
horizon
.
"
She
has
come
to
take
care
of
you
,
and
show
you
the
way
,
"
said
Lona
.
I
questioned
those
about
me
as
we
walked
,
and
learned
there
was
a
great
place
with
a
giant-girl
for
queen
.
When
I
asked
if
it
was
a
city
,
they
said
they
did
not
know
.
Neither
could
they
tell
how
far
off
,
or
in
what
direction
it
was
,
or
what
was
the
giant-girl
's
name
;
all
they
knew
was
,
that
she
hated
the
Little
Ones
,
and
would
like
to
kill
them
,
only
she
could
not
find
them
.
I
asked
how
they
knew
that
;
Lona
answered
that
she
had
always
known
it
.
If
the
giant-girl
came
to
look
for
them
,
they
must
hide
hard
,
she
said
.
When
I
told
them
I
should
go
and
ask
her
why
she
hated
them
,
they
cried
out
,
"
No
,
no
!
she
will
kill
you
,
good
giant
;
she
will
kill
you
!
She
is
an
awful
bad-giant
witch
!
"
I
asked
them
where
I
was
to
go
then
.
They
told
me
that
,
beyond
the
baby-forest
,
away
where
the
moon
came
from
,
lay
a
smooth
green
country
,
pleasant
to
the
feet
,
without
rocks
or
trees
.
But
when
I
asked
how
I
was
to
set
out
for
it
,
"
The
moon
will
tell
you
,
we
think
,
"
they
said
.
They
were
taking
me
up
the
second
branch
of
the
river
bed
:
when
they
saw
that
the
moon
had
reached
her
height
,
they
stopped
to
return
.
"
We
have
never
gone
so
far
from
our
trees
before
,
"
they
said
.
"
Now
mind
you
watch
how
you
go
,
that
you
may
see
inside
your
eyes
how
to
come
back
to
us
.
"
"
And
beware
of
the
giant-woman
that
lives
in
the
desert
,
"
said
one
of
the
bigger
girls
as
they
were
turning
,
"
I
suppose
you
have
heard
of
her
!
"
"
No
,
"
I
answered
.
"
Then
take
care
not
to
go
near
her
.
She
is
called
the
Cat-woman
.
She
is
awfully
ugly
—
and
scratches
.
"
As
soon
as
the
bigger
ones
stopped
,
the
smaller
had
begun
to
run
back
.
The
others
now
looked
at
me
gravely
for
a
moment
,
and
then
walked
slowly
away
.
Last
to
leave
me
,
Lona
held
up
the
baby
to
be
kissed
,
gazed
in
my
eyes
,
whispered
,
"
The
Cat-woman
will
not
hurt
you
,
"
and
went
without
another
word
.
I
stood
a
while
,
gazing
after
them
through
the
moonlight
,
then
turned
and
,
with
a
heavy
heart
,
began
my
solitary
journey
.
Soon
the
laughter
of
the
Little
Ones
overtook
me
,
like
sheep-bells
innumerable
,
rippling
the
air
,
and
echoing
in
the
rocks
about
me
.
I
turned
again
,
and
again
gazed
after
them
:
they
went
gamboling
along
,
with
never
a
care
in
their
sweet
souls
.
But
Lona
walked
apart
with
her
baby
.
Pondering
as
I
went
,
I
recalled
many
traits
of
my
little
friends
.
Once
when
I
suggested
that
they
should
leave
the
country
of
the
bad
giants
,
and
go
with
me
to
find
another
,
they
answered
,
"
But
that
would
be
to
not
ourselves
!
"
—
so
strong
in
them
was
the
love
of
place
that
their
country
seemed
essential
to
their
very
being
!
Without
ambition
or
fear
,
discomfort
or
greed
,
they
had
no
motive
to
desire
any
change
;
they
knew
of
nothing
amiss
;
and
,
except
their
babies
,
they
had
never
had
a
chance
of
helping
any
one
but
myself
:
—
How
were
they
to
grow
?
But
again
,
Why
should
they
grow
?
In
seeking
to
improve
their
conditions
,
might
I
not
do
them
harm
,
and
only
harm
?
To
enlarge
their
minds
after
the
notions
of
my
world
—
might
it
not
be
to
distort
and
weaken
them
?
Their
fear
of
growth
as
a
possible
start
for
gianthood
might
be
instinctive
!
The
part
of
philanthropist
is
indeed
a
dangerous
one
;
and
the
man
who
would
do
his
neighbour
good
must
first
study
how
not
to
do
him
evil
,
and
must
begin
by
pulling
the
beam
out
of
his
own
eye
.
chapter
xv
A
STRANGE
HOSTESS
I
TRAVELLED
on
attended
by
the
moon
.
As
usual
she
was
full
—
I
had
never
seen
her
other
—
and
to-night
as
she
sank
I
thought
I
perceived
something
like
a
smile
on
her
countenance
.
When
her
under
edge
was
a
little
below
the
horizon
,
there
appeared
in
the
middle
of
her
disc
,
as
if
it
had
been
painted
upon
it
,
a
cottage
,
through
the
open
door
and
window
of
which
she
shone
;
and
with
the
sight
came
the
conviction
that
I
was
expected
there
.
Almost
immediately
the
moon
was
gone
,
and
the
cottage
had
vanished
;
the
night
was
rapidly
growing
dark
,
and
my
way
being
across
a
close
succession
of
small
ravines
,
I
resolved
to
remain
where
I
was
and
expect
the
morning
.
I
stretched
myself
,
therefore
,
in
a
sandy
hollow
,
made
my
supper
off
the
fruits
the
children
had
given
me
at
parting
,
and
was
soon
asleep
.
I
woke
suddenly
,
saw
above
me
constellations
unknown
to
my
former
world
,
and
had
lain
for
a
while
gazing
at
them
,
when
I
became
aware
of
a
figure
seated
on
the
ground
a
little
way
from
and
above
me
.
I
was
startled
,
as
one
is
on
discovering
all
at
once
that
one
is
not
alone
.
The
figure
was
between
me
and
the
sky
,
so
that
I
saw
its
outline
well
.
From
where
I
lay
low
in
the
hollow
,
it
seemed
larger
than
human
.
It
moved
its
head
,
and
then
first
I
saw
that
its
back
was
toward
me
.
"
Will
you
not
come
with
me
?
"
said
a
sweet
,
mellow
voice
,
unmistakably
a
woman
's
.
Wishing
to
learn
more
of
my
hostess
,
"
I
thank
you
,
"
I
replied
,
"
but
I
am
not
uncomfortable
here
.
Where
would
you
have
me
go
?
I
like
sleeping
in
the
open
air
.
"
"
There
is
no
hurt
in
the
air
,
"
she
returned
;
"
but
the
creatures
that
roam
the
night
in
these
parts
are
not
such
as
a
man
would
willingly
have
about
him
while
he
sleeps
.
"
"
I
have
not
been
disturbed
,
"
I
said
.
"
No
;
I
have
been
sitting
by
you
ever
since
you
lay
down
.
"
"
That
is
very
kind
of
you
!
How
came
you
to
know
I
was
here
?
Why
do
you
show
me
such
favour
?
"
"
I
saw
you
,
"
she
answered
,
still
with
her
back
to
me
,
"
in
the
light
of
the
moon
,
just
as
she
went
down
.
I
see
badly
in
the
day
,
but
at
night
perfectly
.
The
shadow
of
my
house
would
have
hidden
you
,
but
both
its
doors
were
open
.
I
was
out
on
the
waste
,
and
saw
you
go
into
this
hollow
.
You
were
asleep
,
however
,
before
I
could
reach
you
,
and
I
was
not
willing
to
disturb
you
.
People
are
frightened
if
I
come
on
them
suddenly
.
They
call
me
the
Cat-woman
.
It
is
not
my
name
.
"
I
remembered
what
the
children
had
told
me
—
that
she
was
very
ugly
,
and
scratched
.
But
her
voice
was
gentle
,
and
its
tone
a
little
apologetic
:
she
could
not
be
a
bad
giantess
!
"
You
shall
not
hear
it
from
me
,
"
I
answered
,
"
Please
tell
me
what
I
may
call
you
!
"
"
When
you
know
me
,
call
me
by
the
name
that
seems
to
you
to
fit
me
,
"
she
replied
:
"
that
will
tell
me
what
sort
you
are
.
People
do
not
often
give
me
the
right
one
.
It
is
well
when
they
do
.
"
"
I
suppose
,
madam
,
you
live
in
the
cottage
I
saw
in
the
heart
of
the
moon
?
"
"
I
do
.
I
live
there
alone
,
except
when
I
have
visitors
.
It
is
a
poor
place
,
but
I
do
what
I
can
for
my
guests
,
and
sometimes
their
sleep
is
sweet
to
them
.
"
Her
voice
entered
into
me
,
and
made
me
feel
strangely
still
.
"
I
will
go
with
you
,
madam
,
"
I
said
,
rising
.
She
rose
at
once
,
and
without
a
glance
behind
her
led
the
way
.
I
could
see
her
just
well
enough
to
follow
.
She
was
taller
than
myself
,
but
not
so
tall
as
I
had
thought
her
.
That
she
never
turned
her
face
to
me
made
me
curious
—
nowise
apprehensive
,
her
voice
rang
so
true
.
But
how
was
I
to
fit
her
with
a
name
who
could
not
see
her
?
I
strove
to
get
alongside
of
her
,
but
failed
:
when
I
quickened
my
pace
she
quickened
hers
,
and
kept
easily
ahead
of
me
.
At
length
I
did
begin
to
grow
a
little
afraid
.
Why
was
she
so
careful
not
to
be
seen
?
Extraordinary
ugliness
would
account
for
it
:
she
might
fear
terrifying
me
!
Horror
of
an
inconceivable
monstrosity
began
to
assail
me
:
was
I
following
through
the
dark
an
unheard-of
hideousness
?
Almost
I
repented
of
having
accepted
her
hospitality
.
Neither
spoke
,
and
the
silence
grew
unbearable
.
I
must
break
it
!
"
I
want
to
find
my
way
,
"
I
said
,
"
to
a
place
I
have
heard
of
,
but
whose
name
I
have
not
yet
learned
.
Perhaps
you
can
tell
it
me
!
"
"
Describe
it
,
then
,
and
I
will
direct
you
.
The
stupid
Bags
know
nothing
,
and
the
careless
little
Lovers
forget
almost
everything
.
"
"
Where
do
those
live
?
"
"
You
are
just
come
from
them
!
"
"
I
never
heard
those
names
before
!
"
"
You
would
not
hear
them
.
Neither
people
knows
its
own
name
!
"
"
Strange
!
"
"
Perhaps
so
!
but
hardly
any
one
anywhere
knows
his
own
name
!
It
would
make
many
a
fine
gentleman
stare
to
hear
himself
addressed
by
what
is
really
his
name
!
"
I
held
my
peace
,
beginning
to
wonder
what
my
name
might
be
.
"
What
now
do
you
fancy
yours
?
"
she
went
on
,
as
if
aware
of
my
thought
.
"
But
,
pardon
me
,
it
is
a
matter
of
no
consequence
.
"
I
had
actually
opened
my
mouth
to
answer
her
,
when
I
discovered
that
my
name
was
gone
from
me
.
I
could
not
even
recall
the
first
letter
of
it
!
This
was
the
second
time
I
had
been
asked
my
name
and
could
not
tell
it
!
"
Never
mind
,
"
she
said
;
"
it
is
not
wanted
.
Your
real
name
,
indeed
,
is
written
on
your
forehead
,
but
at
present
it
whirls
about
so
irregularly
that
nobody
can
read
it
.
I
will
do
my
part
to
steady
it
.
Soon
it
will
go
slower
,
and
,
I
hope
,
settle
at
last
.
"
This
startled
me
,
and
I
was
silent
.
We
had
left
the
channels
and
walked
a
long
time
,
but
no
sign
of
the
cottage
yet
appeared
.
"
The
Little
Ones
told
me
,
"
I
said
at
length
,
"
of
a
smooth
green
country
,
pleasant
to
the
feet
!
"
"
Yes
?
"
she
returned
.
"
They
told
me
too
of
a
girl-giantess
that
was
queen
somewhere
:
is
that
her
country
?
"
"
There
is
a
city
in
that
grassy
land
,
"
she
replied
,
"
where
a
woman
is
princess
.
The
city
is
called
Bulika
.
But
certainly
the
princess
is
not
a
girl
!
She
is
older
than
this
world
,
and
came
to
it
from
yours
—
with
a
terrible
history
,
which
is
not
over
yet
.
She
is
an
evil
person
,
and
prevails
much
with
the
Prince
of
the
Power
of
the
Air
.
The
people
of
Bulika
were
formerly
simple
folk
,
tilling
the
ground
and
pasturing
sheep
.
She
came
among
them
,
and
they
received
her
hospitably
.
She
taught
them
to
dig
for
diamonds
and
opals
and
sell
them
to
strangers
,
and
made
them
give
up
tillage
and
pasturage
and
build
a
city
.
One
day
they
found
a
huge
snake
and
killed
it
;
which
so
enraged
her
that
she
declared
herself
their
princess
,
and
became
terrible
to
them
.
The
name
of
the
country
at
that
time
was
The
Land
of
Waters
;
for
the
dry
channels
,
of
which
you
have
crossed
so
many
,
were
then
overflowing
with
live
torrents
;
and
the
valley
,
where
now
the
Bags
and
the
Lovers
have
their
fruit-trees
,
was
a
lake
that
received
a
great
part
of
them
.
But
the
wicked
princess
gathered
up
in
her
lap
what
she
could
of
the
water
over
the
whole
country
,
closed
it
in
an
egg
,
and
carried
it
away
.
Her
lap
,
however
,
would
not
hold
more
than
half
of
it
;
and
the
instant
she
was
gone
,
what
she
had
not
yet
taken
fled
away
underground
,
leaving
the
country
as
dry
and
dusty
as
her
own
heart
.
Were
it
not
for
the
waters
under
it
,
every
living
thing
would
long
ago
have
perished
from
it
.
For
where
no
water
is
,
no
rain
falls
;
and
where
no
rain
falls
,
no
springs
rise
.
Ever
since
then
,
the
princess
has
lived
in
Bulika
,
holding
the
inhabitants
in
constant
terror
,
and
doing
what
she
can
to
keep
them
from
multiplying
.
Yet
they
boast
and
believe
themselves
a
prosperous
,
and
certainly
are
a
self-satisfied
people
—
good
at
bargaining
and
buying
,
good
at
selling
and
cheating
;
holding
well
together
for
a
common
interest
,
and
utterly
treacherous
where
interests
clash
;
proud
of
their
princess
and
her
power
,
and
despising
every
one
they
get
the
better
of
;
never
doubting
themselves
the
most
honourable
of
all
the
nations
,
and
each
man
counting
himself
better
than
any
other
.
The
depth
of
their
worthlessness
and
height
of
their
vainglory
no
one
can
understand
who
has
not
been
there
to
see
,
who
has
not
learned
to
know
the
miserable
misgoverned
and
self-deceived
creatures
.
"
"
I
thank
you
,
madam
.
And
now
,
if
you
please
,
will
you
tell
me
something
about
the
Little
Ones
—
the
Lovers
?
I
long
heartily
to
serve
them
.
Who
and
what
are
they
?
and
how
do
they
come
to
be
there
?
Those
children
are
the
greatest
wonder
I
have
found
in
this
world
of
wonders
.
"
"
In
Bulika
you
may
,
perhaps
,
get
some
light
on
those
matters
.
There
is
an
ancient
poem
in
the
library
of
the
palace
,
I
am
told
,
which
of
course
no
one
there
can
read
,
but
in
which
it
is
plainly
written
that
after
the
Lovers
have
gone
through
great
troubles
and
learned
their
own
name
,
they
will
fill
the
land
,
and
make
the
giants
their
slaves
.
"
"
By
that
time
they
will
have
grown
a
little
,
will
they
not
?
"
I
said
.
"
Yes
,
they
will
have
grown
;
yet
I
think
too
they
will
not
have
grown
.
It
is
possible
to
grow
and
not
to
grow
,
to
grow
less
and
to
grow
bigger
,
both
at
once
—
yes
,
even
to
grow
by
means
of
not
growing
!
"
"
Your
words
are
strange
,
madam
!
"
I
rejoined
.
"
But
I
have
heard
it
said
that
some
words
,
because
they
mean
more
,
appear
to
mean
less
!
"
"
That
is
true
,
and
such
words
have
to
be
understood
.
It
were
well
for
the
princess
of
Bulika
if
she
heard
what
the
very
silence
of
the
land
is
shouting
in
her
ears
all
day
long
!
But
she
is
far
too
clever
to
understand
anything
.
"
"
Then
I
suppose
,
when
the
little
Lovers
are
grown
,
their
land
will
have
water
again
?
"
"
Not
exactly
so
:
when
they
are
thirsty
enough
,
they
will
have
water
,
and
when
they
have
water
,
they
will
grow
.
To
grow
,
they
must
have
water
.
And
,
beneath
,
it
is
flowing
still
.
"
"
I
have
heard
that
water
twice
,
"
I
said
;
"
—
once
when
I
lay
down
to
wait
for
the
moon
—
and
when
I
woke
the
sun
was
shining
!
and
once
when
I
fell
,
all
but
killed
by
the
bad
giant
.
Both
times
came
the
voices
of
the
water
,
and
healed
me
.
"
The
woman
never
turned
her
head
,
and
kept
always
a
little
before
me
,
but
I
could
hear
every
word
that
left
her
lips
,
and
her
voice
much
reminded
me
of
the
woman
's
in
the
house
of
death
.
Much
of
what
she
said
,
I
did
not
understand
,
and
therefore
cannot
remember
.
But
I
forgot
that
I
had
ever
been
afraid
of
her
.
We
went
on
and
on
,
and
crossed
yet
a
wide
tract
of
sand
before
reaching
the
cottage
.
Its
foundation
stood
in
deep
sand
,
but
I
could
see
that
it
was
a
rock
.
In
character
the
cottage
resembled
the
sexton
's
,
but
had
thicker
walls
.
The
door
,
which
was
heavy
and
strong
,
opened
immediately
into
a
large
bare
room
,
which
had
two
little
windows
opposite
each
other
,
without
glass
.
My
hostess
walked
in
at
the
open
door
out
of
which
the
moon
had
looked
,
and
going
straight
to
the
farthest
corner
took
a
long
white
cloth
from
the
floor
,
and
wound
it
about
her
head
and
face
.
Then
she
closed
the
other
door
,
in
at
which
the
moon
had
looked
,
trimmed
a
small
horn
lantern
that
stood
on
the
hearth
,
and
turned
to
receive
me
.
"
You
are
very
welcome
,
Mr.
Vane
!
"
she
said
,
calling
me
by
the
name
I
had
forgotten
.
"
Your
entertainment
will
be
scanty
,
but
,
as
the
night
is
not
far
spent
,
and
the
day
not
at
hand
,
it
is
better
you
should
be
indoors
.
Here
you
will
be
safe
,
and
a
little
lack
is
not
a
great
misery
.
"
"
I
thank
you
heartily
,
madam
,
"
I
replied
.
"
But
,
seeing
you
know
the
name
I
could
not
tell
you
,
may
I
not
now
know
yours
?
"
"
My
name
is
Mara
,
"
she
answered
.
Then
I
remembered
the
sexton
and
the
little
black
cat
.
"
Some
people
,
"
she
went
on
,
"
take
me
for
Lot
's
wife
,
lamenting
over
Sodom
;
and
some
think
I
am
Rachel
,
weeping
for
her
children
;
but
I
am
neither
of
those
.
"
"
I
thank
you
again
,
Mara
,
"
I
said
.
"
—
May
I
lie
here
on
your
floor
till
the
morning
?
"
"
At
the
top
of
that
stair
,
"
she
answered
,
"
you
will
find
a
bed
—
on
which
some
have
slept
better
than
they
expected
,
and
some
have
waked
all
the
night
and
slept
all
the
next
day
.
It
is
not
a
very
soft
one
,
but
it
is
better
than
the
sand
—
and
there
are
no
hyenas
sniffing
about
it
!
"
The
stair
,
narrow
and
steep
,
led
straight
up
from
the
room
to
an
unceiled
and
unpartitioned
garret
,
with
one
wide
,
low
dormer
window
.
Close
under
the
sloping
roof
stood
a
narrow
bed
,
the
sight
of
which
with
its
white
coverlet
made
me
shiver
,
so
vividly
it
recalled
the
couches
in
the
chamber
of
death
.
On
the
table
was
a
dry
loaf
,
and
beside
it
a
cup
of
cold
water
.
To
me
,
who
had
tasted
nothing
but
fruit
for
months
,
they
were
a
feast
.
"
I
must
leave
you
in
the
dark
,
"
my
hostess
called
from
the
bottom
of
the
stair
.
"
This
lantern
is
all
the
light
I
have
,
and
there
are
things
to
do
tonight
.
"
"
It
is
of
no
consequence
,
thank
you
,
madam
,
"
I
returned
.
"
To
eat
and
drink
,
to
lie
down
and
sleep
,
are
things
that
can
be
done
in
the
dark
.
"
"
Rest
in
peace
,
"
she
said
.
I
ate
up
the
loaf
,
drank
the
water
every
drop
,
and
laid
myself
down
.
The
bed
was
hard
,
the
covering
thin
and
scanty
,
and
the
night
cold
:
I
dreamed
that
I
lay
in
the
chamber
of
death
,
between
the
warrior
and
the
lady
with
the
healing
wound
.
I
woke
in
the
middle
of
the
night
,
thinking
I
heard
low
noises
of
wild
animals
.
"
Creatures
of
the
desert
scenting
after
me
,
I
suppose
!
"
I
said
to
myself
,
and
,
knowing
I
was
safe
,
would
have
gone
to
sleep
again
.
But
that
instant
a
rough
purring
rose
to
a
howl
under
my
window
,
and
I
sprang
from
my
bed
to
see
what
sort
of
beast
uttered
it
.
Before
the
door
of
the
cottage
,
in
the
full
radiance
of
the
moon
,
a
tall
woman
stood
,
clothed
in
white
,
with
her
back
toward
me
.
She
was
stooping
over
a
large
white
animal
like
a
panther
,
patting
and
stroking
it
with
one
hand
,
while
with
the
other
she
pointed
to
the
moon
half-way
up
the
heaven
,
then
drew
a
perpendicular
line
to
the
horizon
.
Instantly
the
creature
darted
off
with
amazing
swiftness
in
the
direction
indicated
.
For
a
moment
my
eyes
followed
it
,
then
sought
the
woman
;
but
she
was
gone
,
and
not
yet
had
I
seen
her
face
!
Again
I
looked
after
the
animal
but
whether
I
saw
or
only
fancied
a
white
speck
in
the
distance
,
I
could
not
tell
.
—
What
did
it
mean
?
What
was
the
monster-cat
sent
off
to
do
?
I
shuddered
,
and
went
back
to
my
bed
.
Then
I
remembered
that
,
when
I
lay
down
in
the
sandy
hollow
outside
,
the
moon
was
setting
;
yet
here
she
was
,
a
few
hours
after
,
shining
in
all
her
glory
!
"
Everything
is
uncertain
here
,
"
I
said
to
myself
,
"
—
even
the
motions
of
the
heavenly
bodies
!
"
I
learned
afterward
that
there
were
several
moons
in
the
service
of
this
world
,
but
the
laws
that
ruled
their
times
and
different
orbits
I
failed
to
discover
.
Again
I
fell
asleep
,
and
slept
undisturbed
.
When
I
went
down
in
the
morning
,
I
found
bread
and
water
waiting
me
,
the
loaf
so
large
that
I
ate
only
half
of
it
.
My
hostess
sat
muffled
beside
me
while
I
broke
my
fast
,
and
except
to
greet
me
when
I
entered
,
never
opened
her
mouth
until
I
asked
her
to
instruct
me
how
to
arrive
at
Bulika
.
She
then
told
me
to
go
up
the
bank
of
the
river-bed
until
it
disappeared
;
then
verge
to
the
right
until
I
came
to
a
forest
—
in
which
I
might
spend
a
night
,
but
which
I
must
leave
with
my
face
to
the
rising
moon
.
Keeping
in
the
same
direction
,
she
said
,
until
I
reached
a
running
stream
,
I
must
cross
that
at
right
angles
,
and
go
straight
on
until
I
saw
the
city
on
the
horizon
.
I
thanked
her
,
and
ventured
the
remark
that
,
looking
out
of
the
window
in
the
night
,
I
was
astonished
to
see
her
messenger
understand
her
so
well
,
and
go
so
straight
and
so
fast
in
the
direction
she
had
indicated
.
"
If
I
had
but
that
animal
of
yours
to
guide
me
,
—
"
I
went
on
,
hoping
to
learn
something
of
its
mission
,
but
she
interrupted
me
,
saying
,
"
It
was
to
Bulika
she
went
—
the
shortest
way
.
"
"
How
wonderfully
intelligent
she
looked
!
"
"
Astarte
knows
her
work
well
enough
to
be
sent
to
do
it
,
"
she
answered
.
"
Have
you
many
messengers
like
her
?
"
"
As
many
as
I
require
.
"
"
Are
they
hard
to
teach
?
"
"
They
need
no
teaching
.
They
are
all
of
a
certain
breed
,
but
not
one
of
the
breed
is
like
another
.
Their
origin
is
so
natural
it
would
seem
to
you
incredible
.
"
"
May
I
not
know
it
?
"
"
A
new
one
came
to
me
last
night
—
from
your
head
while
you
slept
.
"
I
laughed
.
"
All
in
this
world
seem
to
love
mystery
!
"
I
said
to
myself
.
"
Some
chance
word
of
mine
suggested
an
idea
—
and
in
this
form
she
embodies
the
small
fact
!
"
"
Then
the
creature
is
mine
!
"
I
cried
.
"
Not
at
all
!
"
she
answered
.
"
That
only
can
be
ours
in
whose
existence
our
will
is
a
factor
.
"
"
Ha
!
a
metaphysician
too
!
"
I
remarked
inside
,
and
was
silent
.
"
May
I
take
what
is
left
of
the
loaf
?
"
I
asked
presently
.
"
You
will
want
no
more
to-day
,
"
she
replied
.
"
To-morrow
I
may
!
"
I
rejoined
.
She
rose
and
went
to
the
door
,
saying
as
she
went
,
"
It
has
nothing
to
do
with
to-morrow
,
—
but
you
may
take
it
if
you
will
.
"
She
opened
the
door
,
and
stood
holding
it
.
I
rose
,
taking
up
the
bread
—
but
lingered
,
much
desiring
to
see
her
face
.
"
Must
I
go
,
then
?
"
I
asked
.
"
No
one
sleeps
in
my
house
two
nights
together
!
"
she
answered
.
"
I
thank
you
,
then
,
for
your
hospitality
,
and
bid
you
farewell
!
"
I
said
,
and
turned
to
go
.
"
The
time
will
come
when
you
must
house
with
me
many
days
and
many
nights
,
"
she
murmured
sadly
through
her
muffling
.
"
Willingly
,
"
I
replied
.
"
Nay
,
not
willingly
!
"
she
answered
.
I
said
to
myself
that
she
was
right
—
I
would
not
willingly
be
her
guest
a
second
time
!
but
immediately
my
heart
rebuked
me
,
and
I
had
scarce
crossed
the
threshold
when
I
turned
again
.
She
stood
in
the
middle
of
the
room
;
her
white
garments
lay
like
foamy
waves
at
her
feet
,
and
among
them
the
swathings
of
her
face
:
it
was
lovely
as
a
night
of
stars
.
Her
great
gray
eyes
looked
up
to
heaven
;
tears
were
flowing
down
her
pale
cheeks
.
She
reminded
me
not
a
little
of
the
sexton
's
wife
,
although
the
one
looked
as
if
she
had
not
wept
for
thousands
of
years
,
and
the
other
as
if
she
wept
constantly
behind
the
wrappings
of
her
beautiful
head
.
Yet
something
in
the
very
eyes
that
wept
seemed
to
say
,
"
Weeping
may
endure
for
a
night
,
but
joy
cometh
in
the
morning
.
"
I
had
bowed
my
head
for
a
moment
,
about
to
kneel
and
beg
her
forgiveness
,
when
,
looking
up
in
the
act
,
I
found
myself
outside
a
doorless
house
.
I
went
round
and
round
it
,
but
could
find
no
entrance
.
I
had
stopped
under
one
of
the
windows
,
on
the
point
of
calling
aloud
my
repentant
confession
,
when
a
sudden
wailing
,
howling
scream
invaded
my
ears
,
and
my
heart
stood
still
.
Something
sprang
from
the
window
above
my
head
,
and
lighted
beyond
me
.
I
turned
,
and
saw
a
large
gray
cat
,
its
hair
on
end
,
shooting
toward
the
river-bed
.
I
fell
with
my
face
in
the
sand
,
and
seemed
to
hear
within
the
house
the
gentle
sobbing
of
one
who
suffered
but
did
not
repent
.
chapter
xvi
A
GRUESOME
DANCE
I
ROSE
to
resume
my
journey
,
and
walked
many
a
desert
mile
.
How
I
longed
for
a
mountain
,
or
even
a
tall
rock
,
from
whose
summit
I
might
see
across
the
dismal
plain
or
the
dried-up
channels
to
some
bordering
hope
!
Yet
what
could
such
foresight
have
availed
me
?
That
which
is
within
a
man
,
not
that
which
lies
beyond
his
vision
,
is
the
main
factor
in
what
is
about
to
befall
him
:
the
operation
upon
him
is
the
event
.
Foreseeing
is
not
understanding
,
else
surely
the
prophecy
latent
in
man
would
come
oftener
to
the
surface
!
The
sun
was
half-way
to
the
horizon
when
I
saw
before
me
a
rugged
rocky
ascent
;
but
ere
I
reached
it
my
desire
to
climb
was
over
,
and
I
longed
to
lie
down
.
By
that
time
the
sun
was
almost
set
,
and
the
air
had
begun
to
grow
dark
.
At
my
feet
lay
a
carpet
of
softest
,
greenest
moss
,
couch
for
a
king
:
I
threw
myself
upon
it
,
and
weariness
at
once
began
to
ebb
,
for
,
the
moment
my
head
was
down
,
the
third
time
I
heard
below
me
many
waters
,
playing
broken
airs
and
ethereal
harmonies
with
the
stones
of
their
buried
channels
.
Loveliest
chaos
of
music-stuff
the
harp
aquarian
kept
sending
up
to
my
ears
!
What
might
not
a
Händel
have
done
with
that
ever-recurring
gurgle
and
bell-like
drip
,
to
the
mingling
and
mutually
destructive
melodies
their
common
refrain
!
As
I
lay
listening
,
my
eyes
went
wandering
up
and
down
the
rocky
slope
abrupt
above
me
,
reading
on
its
face
the
record
that
down
there
,
ages
ago
,
rushed
a
cataract
,
filling
the
channels
that
had
led
me
to
its
foot
.
My
heart
swelled
at
the
thought
of
the
splendid
tumult
,
where
the
waves
danced
revelling
in
helpless
fall
,
to
mass
their
music
in
one
organ-roar
below
.
But
soon
the
hidden
brooks
lulled
me
to
sleep
,
and
their
lullabies
mingled
with
my
dreams
.
I
woke
before
the
sun
,
and
eagerly
climbed
to
see
what
lay
beyond
.
Alas
,
nothing
but
a
desert
of
finest
sand
!
Not
a
trace
was
left
of
the
river
that
had
plunged
adown
the
rocks
!
The
powdery
drift
had
filled
its
course
to
the
level
of
the
dreary
expanse
!
As
I
looked
back
I
saw
that
the
river
had
divided
into
two
branches
as
it
fell
,
that
whose
bank
I
had
now
followed
to
the
foot
of
the
rocky
scaur
,
and
that
which
first
I
crossed
to
the
Evil
Wood
.
The
wood
I
descried
between
the
two
on
the
far
horizon
.
Before
me
and
to
the
left
,
the
desert
stretched
beyond
my
vision
,
but
far
to
the
right
I
could
see
a
lift
in
the
sky-line
,
giving
hope
of
the
forest
to
which
my
hostess
had
directed
me
.
I
sat
down
,
and
sought
in
my
pocket
the
half-loaf
I
had
brought
with
me
—
then
first
to
understand
what
my
hostess
had
meant
concerning
it
.
Verily
the
bread
was
not
for
the
morrow
:
it
had
shrunk
and
hardened
to
a
stone
!
I
threw
it
away
,
and
set
out
again
.
About
noon
I
came
to
a
few
tamarisk
and
juniper
trees
,
and
then
to
a
few
stunted
firs
.
As
I
went
on
,
closer
thickets
and
larger
firs
met
me
,
and
at
length
I
was
in
just
such
a
forest
of
pines
and
other
trees
as
that
in
which
the
Little
Ones
found
their
babies
,
and
believed
I
had
returned
upon
a
farther
portion
of
the
same
.
But
what
mattered
where
while
everywhere
was
the
same
as
nowhere
!
I
had
not
yet
,
by
doing
something
in
it
,
made
anywhere
into
a
place
!
I
was
not
yet
alive
;
I
was
only
dreaming
I
lived
!
I
was
but
a
consciousness
with
an
outlook
!
Truly
I
had
been
nothing
else
in
the
world
I
had
left
,
but
now
I
knew
the
fact
!
I
said
to
myself
that
if
in
this
forest
I
should
catch
the
faint
gleam
of
the
mirror
,
I
would
turn
far
aside
lest
it
should
entrap
me
unawares
,
and
give
me
back
to
my
old
existence
:
here
I
might
learn
to
be
something
by
doing
something
!
I
could
not
endure
the
thought
of
going
back
,
with
so
many
beginnings
and
not
an
end
achieved
.
The
Little
Ones
would
meet
what
fate
was
appointed
them
;
the
awful
witch
I
should
never
meet
;
the
dead
would
ripen
and
arise
without
me
;
I
should
but
wake
to
know
that
I
had
dreamed
,
and
that
all
my
going
was
nowhither
!
I
would
rather
go
on
and
on
than
come
to
such
a
close
!
I
went
deeper
into
the
wood
:
I
was
weary
,
and
would
rest
in
it
.
The
trees
were
now
large
,
and
stood
in
regular
,
almost
geometric
,
fashion
,
with
roomy
spaces
between
.
There
was
little
undergrowth
,
and
I
could
see
a
long
way
in
every
direction
.
The
forest
was
like
a
great
church
,
solemn
and
silent
and
empty
,
for
I
met
nothing
on
two
feet
or
four
that
day
.
Now
and
then
,
it
is
true
,
some
swift
thing
,
and
again
some
slow
thing
,
would
cross
the
space
on
which
my
eye
happened
that
moment
to
settle
;
but
it
was
always
at
some
distance
,
and
only
enhanced
the
sense
of
wideness
and
vacancy
.
I
heard
a
few
birds
,
and
saw
plenty
of
butterflies
,
some
of
marvellously
gorgeous
colouring
and
combinations
of
colour
,
some
of
a
pure
and
dazzling
whiteness
.
Coming
to
a
spot
where
the
pines
stood
farther
apart
and
gave
room
for
flowering
shrubs
,
and
hoping
it
a
sign
of
some
dwelling
near
,
I
took
the
direction
where
yet
more
and
more
roses
grew
,
for
I
was
hungry
after
the
voice
and
face
of
my
kind
—
after
any
live
soul
,
indeed
,
human
or
not
,
which
I
might
in
some
measure
understand
.
What
a
hell
of
horror
,
I
thought
,
to
wander
alone
,
a
bare
existence
never
going
out
of
itself
,
never
widening
its
life
in
another
life
,
but
,
bound
with
the
cords
of
its
poor
peculiarities
,
lying
an
eternal
prisoner
in
the
dungeon
of
its
own
being
!
I
began
to
learn
that
it
was
impossible
to
live
for
oneself
even
,
save
in
the
presence
of
others
—
then
,
alas
,
fearfully
possible
!
evil
was
only
through
good
!
selfishness
but
a
parasite
on
the
tree
of
life
!
In
my
own
world
I
had
the
habit
of
solitary
song
;
here
not
a
crooning
murmur
ever
parted
my
lips
!
There
I
sang
without
thinking
;
here
I
thought
without
singing
!
there
I
had
never
had
a
bosom-friend
;
here
the
affection
of
an
idiot
would
be
divinely
welcome
!
"
If
only
I
had
a
dog
to
love
!
"
I
sighed
—
and
regarded
with
wonder
my
past
self
,
which
preferred
the
company
of
book
or
pen
to
that
of
man
or
woman
;
which
,
if
the
author
of
a
tale
I
was
enjoying
appeared
,
would
wish
him
away
that
I
might
return
to
his
story
.
I
had
chosen
the
dead
rather
than
the
living
,
the
thing
thought
rather
than
the
thing
thinking
!
"
Any
man
,
"
I
said
now
,
"
is
more
than
the
greatest
of
books
!
"
I
had
not
cared
for
my
live
brothers
and
sisters
,
and
now
I
was
left
without
even
the
dead
to
comfort
me
!
The
wood
thinned
yet
more
,
and
the
pines
grew
yet
larger
,
sending
up
huge
stems
,
like
columns
eager
to
support
the
heavens
.
More
trees
of
other
kinds
appeared
;
the
forest
was
growing
richer
!
The
roses
wore
now
trees
,
and
their
flowers
of
astonishing
splendour
.
Suddenly
I
spied
what
seemed
a
great
house
or
castle
;
but
its
forms
were
so
strangely
indistinct
,
that
I
could
not
be
certain
it
was
more
than
a
chance
combination
of
tree-shapes
.
As
I
drew
nearer
,
its
lines
yet
held
together
,
but
neither
they
nor
the
body
of
it
grew
at
all
more
definite
;
and
when
at
length
I
stood
in
front
of
it
,
I
remained
as
doubtful
of
its
nature
as
before
.
House
or
castle
habitable
,
it
certainly
was
not
;
it
might
be
a
ruin
overgrown
with
ivy
and
roses
!
Yet
of
building
hid
in
the
foliage
,
not
the
poorest
wall-remnant
could
I
discern
.
Again
and
again
I
seemed
to
descry
what
must
be
building
,
but
it
always
vanished
before
closer
inspection
.
Could
it
be
,
I
pondered
,
that
the
ivy
had
embraced
a
huge
edifice
and
consumed
it
,
and
its
interlaced
branches
retained
the
shapes
of
the
walls
it
had
assimilated
?
—
I
could
be
sure
of
nothing
concerning
the
appearance
.
Before
me
was
a
rectangular
vacancy
—
the
ghost
of
a
doorway
without
a
door
:
I
stepped
through
it
,
and
found
myself
in
an
open
space
like
a
great
hall
,
its
floor
covered
with
grass
and
flowers
,
its
walls
and
roof
of
ivy
and
vine
,
mingled
with
roses
.
There
could
be
no
better
place
in
which
to
pass
the
night
!
I
gathered
a
quantity
of
withered
leaves
,
laid
them
in
a
corner
,
and
threw
myself
upon
them
.
A
red
sunset
filled
the
hall
,
the
night
was
warm
,
and
my
couch
restful
;
I
lay
gazing
up
at
the
live
ceiling
,
with
its
tracery
of
branches
and
twigs
,
its
clouds
of
foliage
,
and
peeping
patches
of
loftier
roof
.
My
eyes
went
wading
about
as
if
tangled
in
it
,
until
the
sun
was
down
,
and
the
sky
beginning
to
grow
dark
.
Then
the
red
roses
turned
black
,
and
soon
the
yellow
and
white
alone
were
visible
.
When
they
vanished
,
the
stars
came
instead
,
hanging
in
the
leaves
like
live
topazes
,
throbbing
and
sparkling
and
flashing
many
colours
:
I
was
canopied
with
a
tree
from
Aladdin
's
cave
!
Then
I
discovered
that
it
was
full
of
nests
,
whence
tiny
heads
,
nearly
indistinguishable
,
kept
popping
out
with
a
chirp
or
two
,
and
disappearing
again
.
For
a
while
there
were
rustlings
and
stirrings
and
little
prayers
;
but
as
the
darkness
grew
,
the
small
heads
became
still
,
and
at
last
every
feathered
mother
had
her
brood
quiet
under
her
wings
,
the
talk
in
the
little
beds
was
over
,
and
God
's
bird-nursery
at
rest
beneath
the
waves
of
sleep
.
Once
more
a
few
flutterings
made
me
look
up
:
an
owl
went
sailing
across
.
I
had
only
a
glimpse
of
him
,
but
several
times
felt
the
cool
wafture
of
his
silent
wings
.
The
mother
birds
did
not
move
again
;
they
saw
that
he
was
looking
for
mice
,
not
children
.
About
midnight
I
came
wide
awake
,
roused
by
a
revelry
,
whose
noises
were
yet
not
loud
.
Neither
were
they
distant
;
they
were
close
to
me
,
but
attenuate
.
My
eyes
were
so
dazzled
,
however
,
that
for
a
while
I
could
see
nothing
;
at
last
they
came
to
themselves
.
I
was
lying
on
my
withered
leaves
in
the
corner
of
a
splendid
hall
.
Before
me
was
a
crowd
of
gorgeously
dressed
men
and
gracefully
robed
women
,
none
of
whom
seemed
to
see
me
.
In
dance
after
dance
they
vaguely
embodied
the
story
of
life
,
its
meetings
,
its
passions
,
its
partings
.
A
student
of
Shakspere
,
I
had
learned
something
of
every
dance
alluded
to
in
his
plays
,
and
hence
partially
understood
several
of
those
I
now
saw
—
the
minuet
,
the
pavin
,
the
hey
,
the
coranto
,
the
lavolta
.
The
dancers
were
attired
in
fashion
as
ancient
as
their
dances
.
A
moon
had
risen
while
I
slept
,
and
was
shining
through
the
countless-windowed
roof
;
but
her
light
was
crossed
by
so
many
shadows
that
at
first
I
could
distinguish
almost
nothing
of
the
faces
of
the
multitude
;
I
could
not
fail
,
however
,
to
perceive
that
there
was
something
odd
about
them
:
I
sat
up
to
see
them
better
.
—
Heavens
!
could
I
call
them
faces
?
They
were
skull
fronts
!
—
hard
,
gleaming
bone
,
bare
jaws
,
truncated
noses
,
lipless
teeth
which
could
no
more
take
part
in
any
smile
!
Of
these
,
some
flashed
set
and
white
and
murderous
;
others
were
clouded
with
decay
,
broken
and
gapped
,
coloured
of
the
earth
in
which
they
seemed
so
long
to
have
lain
!
Fearfuller
yet
,
the
eye-sockets
were
not
empty
;
in
each
was
a
lidless
living
eye
!
In
those
wrecks
of
faces
,
glowed
or
flashed
or
sparkled
eyes
of
every
colour
,
shape
,
and
expression
.
The
beautiful
,
proud
eye
,
dark
and
lustrous
,
condescending
to
whatever
it
rested
upon
,
was
the
more
terrible
;
the
lovely
,
languishing
eye
,
the
more
repulsive
;
while
the
dim
,
sad
eyes
,
less
at
variance
with
their
setting
,
were
sad
exceedingly
,
and
drew
the
heart
in
spite
of
the
horror
out
of
which
they
gazed
.
I
rose
and
went
among
the
apparitions
,
eager
to
understand
something
of
their
being
and
belongings
.
Were
they
souls
,
or
were
they
and
their
rhythmic
motions
but
phantasms
of
what
had
been
?
By
look
nor
by
gesture
,
not
by
slightest
break
in
the
measure
,
did
they
show
themselves
aware
of
me
;
I
was
not
present
to
them
:
how
much
were
they
in
relation
to
each
other
?
Surely
they
saw
their
companions
as
I
saw
them
!
Or
was
each
only
dreaming
itself
and
the
rest
?
Did
they
know
each
how
they
appeared
to
the
others
—
a
death
with
living
eyes
?
Had
they
used
their
faces
,
not
for
communication
,
not
to
utter
thought
and
feeling
,
not
to
share
existence
with
their
neighbours
,
but
to
appear
what
they
wished
to
appear
,
and
conceal
what
they
were
?
and
,
having
made
their
faces
masks
,
were
they
therefore
deprived
of
those
masks
,
and
condemned
to
go
without
faces
until
they
repented
?
"
How
long
must
they
flaunt
their
facelessness
in
faceless
eyes
?
"
I
wondered
.
"
How
long
will
the
frightful
punition
endure
?
Have
they
at
length
begun
to
love
and
be
wise
?
Have
they
yet
yielded
to
the
shame
that
has
found
them
?
"
I
heard
not
a
word
,
saw
not
a
movement
of
one
naked
mouth
.
Were
they
because
of
lying
bereft
of
speech
?
With
their
eyes
they
spoke
as
if
longing
to
be
understood
:
was
it
truth
or
was
it
falsehood
that
spoke
in
their
eyes
?
They
seemed
to
know
one
another
:
did
they
see
one
skull
beautiful
,
and
another
plain
?
Difference
must
be
there
,
and
they
had
had
long
study
of
skulls
!
My
body
was
to
theirs
no
obstacle
:
was
I
a
body
,
and
were
they
but
forms
?
or
was
I
but
a
form
,
and
were
they
bodies
?
The
moment
one
of
the
dancers
came
close
against
me
,
that
moment
he
or
she
was
on
the
other
side
of
me
,
and
I
could
tell
,
without
seeing
,
which
,
whether
man
or
woman
,
had
passed
through
my
house
.
On
many
of
the
skulls
the
hair
held
its
place
,
and
however
dressed
,
or
in
itself
however
beautiful
,
to
my
eyes
looked
frightful
on
the
bones
of
the
forehead
and
temples
.
In
such
case
,
the
outer
ear
often
remained
also
,
and
at
its
tip
,
the
jewel
of
the
ear
as
Sidney
calls
it
,
would
hang
,
glimmering
,
gleaming
,
or
sparkling
,
pearl
or
opal
or
diamond
—
under
the
night
of
brown
or
of
raven
locks
,
the
sunrise
of
golden
ripples
,
or
the
moonshine
of
pale
,
interclouded
,
fluffy
cirri
—
lichenous
all
on
the
ivory-white
or
damp-yellow
naked
bone
.
I
looked
down
and
saw
the
daintily
domed
instep
;
I
looked
up
and
saw
the
plump
shoulders
basing
the
spring
of
the
round
full
neck
—
which
withered
at
half-height
to
the
fluted
shaft
of
a
gibbose
cranium
.
The
music
became
wilder
,
the
dance
faster
and
faster
;
eyes
flared
and
flashed
,
jewels
twinkled
and
glittered
,
casting
colour
and
fire
on
the
pallid
grins
that
glode
through
the
hall
,
weaving
a
ghastly
rhythmic
woof
in
intricate
maze
of
multitudinous
motion
,
when
sudden
came
a
pause
,
and
every
eye
turned
to
the
same
spot
:
—
in
the
doorway
stood
a
woman
,
perfect
in
form
,
in
holding
,
and
in
hue
,
regarding
the
company
as
from
the
pedestal
of
a
goddess
,
while
the
dancers
stood
"
like
one
forbid
,
"
frozen
to
a
new
death
by
the
vision
of
a
life
that
killed
.
"
Dead
things
,
I
live
!
"
said
her
scornful
glance
.
Then
,
at
once
,
like
leaves
in
which
an
instant
wind
awakes
,
they
turned
each
to
another
,
and
broke
afresh
into
melodious
consorted
motion
,
a
new
expression
in
their
eyes
,
late
solitary
,
now
filled
with
the
interchange
of
a
common
triumph
.
"
Thou
also
,
"
they
seemed
to
say
,
"
wilt
soon
become
weak
as
we
!
thou
wilt
soon
become
like
unto
us
!
"
I
turned
mine
again
to
the
woman
—
and
saw
upon
her
side
a
small
dark
shadow
.
She
had
seen
the
change
in
the
dead
stare
;
she
looked
down
;
she
understood
the
talking
eyes
;
she
pressed
both
her
lovely
hands
on
the
shadow
,
gave
a
smothered
cry
,
and
fled
.
The
birds
moved
rustling
in
their
nests
,
and
a
flash
of
joy
lit
up
the
eyes
of
the
dancers
,
when
suddenly
a
warm
wind
,
growing
in
strength
as
it
swept
through
the
place
,
blew
out
every
light
.
But
the
low
moon
yet
glimmered
on
the
horizon
with
"
sick
assay
"
to
shine
,
and
a
turbid
radiance
yet
gleamed
from
so
many
eyes
,
that
I
saw
well
enough
what
followed
.
As
if
each
shape
had
been
but
a
snow-image
,
it
began
to
fall
to
pieces
,
ruining
in
the
warm
wind
.
In
papery
flakes
the
flesh
peeled
from
its
bones
,
dropping
like
soiled
snow
from
under
its
garments
;
these
fell
fluttering
in
rags
and
strips
,
and
the
whole
white
skeleton
,
emerging
from
garment
and
flesh
together
,
stood
bare
and
lank
amid
the
decay
that
littered
the
floor
.
A
faint
rattling
shiver
went
through
the
naked
company
;
pair
after
pair
the
lamping
eyes
went
out
;
and
the
darkness
grew
round
me
with
the
loneliness
.
For
a
moment
the
leaves
were
still
swept
fluttering
all
one
way
;
then
the
wind
ceased
,
and
the
owl
floated
silent
through
the
silent
night
.
Not
for
a
moment
had
I
been
afraid
.
It
is
true
that
whoever
would
cross
the
threshold
of
any
world
,
must
leave
fear
behind
him
;
but
,
for
myself
,
I
could
claim
no
part
in
its
absence
.
No
conscious
courage
was
operant
in
me
;
simply
,
I
was
not
afraid
.
I
neither
knew
why
I
was
not
afraid
,
nor
wherefore
I
might
have
been
afraid
.
I
feared
not
even
fear
—
which
of
all
dangers
is
the
most
dangerous
.
I
went
out
into
the
wood
,
at
once
to
resume
my
journey
.
Another
moon
was
rising
,
and
I
turned
my
face
toward
it
.
chapter
xvii
A
GROTESQUE
TRAGEDY
I
HAD
not
gone
ten
paces
when
I
caught
sight
of
a
strange-looking
object
,
and
went
nearer
to
know
what
it
might
be
.
I
found
it
a
mouldering
carriage
of
ancient
form
,
ruinous
but
still
upright
on
its
heavy
wheels
.
On
each
side
of
the
pole
,
still
in
its
place
,
lay
the
skeleton
of
a
horse
;
from
their
two
grim
white
heads
ascended
the
shrivelled
reins
to
the
hand
of
the
skeleton-coachman
seated
on
his
tattered
hammer-cloth
;
both
doors
had
fallen
away
;
within
sat
two
skeletons
,
each
leaning
back
in
its
corner
.
Even
as
I
looked
,
they
started
awake
,
and
with
a
cracking
rattle
of
bones
,
each
leaped
from
the
door
next
it
.
One
fell
and
lay
;
the
other
stood
a
moment
,
its
structure
shaking
perilously
;
then
with
difficulty
,
for
its
joints
were
stiff
,
crept
,
holding
by
the
back
of
the
carriage
,
to
the
opposite
side
,
the
thin
leg-bones
seeming
hardly
strong
enough
to
carry
its
weight
,
where
,
kneeling
by
the
other
,
it
sought
to
raise
it
,
almost
falling
itself
again
in
the
endeavour
.
The
prostrate
one
rose
at
length
,
as
by
a
sudden
effort
,
to
the
sitting
posture
.
For
a
few
moments
it
turned
its
yellowish
skull
to
this
side
and
that
;
then
,
heedless
of
its
neighbour
,
got
upon
its
feet
by
grasping
the
spokes
of
the
hind
wheel
.
Half
erected
thus
,
it
stood
with
its
back
to
the
other
,
both
hands
holding
one
of
its
knee-joints
.
With
little
less
difficulty
and
not
a
few
contortions
,
the
kneeling
one
rose
next
,
and
addressed
its
companion
.
"
Have
you
hurt
yourself
,
my
lord
?
"
it
said
,
in
a
voice
that
sounded
far-off
,
and
ill-articulated
as
if
blown
aside
by
some
spectral
wind
.
"
Yes
,
I
have
,
"
answered
the
other
,
in
like
but
rougher
tone
.
"
You
would
do
nothing
to
help
me
,
and
this
cursed
knee
is
out
!
"
"
I
did
my
best
,
my
lord
.
"
"
No
doubt
,
my
lady
,
for
it
was
bad
!
I
thought
I
should
never
find
my
feet
again
!
—
But
,
bless
my
soul
,
madam
!
are
you
out
in
your
bones
?
"
She
cast
a
look
at
herself
.
"
I
have
nothing
else
to
be
out
in
,
"
she
returned
;
"
—
and
you
at
least
cannot
complain
!
But
what
on
earth
does
it
mean
?
Am
I
dreaming
?
"
"
You
may
be
dreaming
,
madam
—
I
cannot
tell
;
but
this
knee
of
mine
forbids
me
the
grateful
illusion
.
—
Ha
!
I
too
,
I
perceive
,
have
nothing
to
walk
in
but
bones
!
—
Not
so
unbecoming
to
a
man
,
however
!
I
trust
to
goodness
they
are
not
my
bones
!
every
one
aches
worse
than
another
,
and
this
loose
knee
worst
of
all
!
The
bed
must
have
been
damp
—
and
I
too
drunk
to
know
it
!
"
"
Probably
,
my
lord
of
Cokayne
!
"
"
What
!
what
!
—
You
make
me
think
I
too
am
dreaming
—
aches
and
all
!
How
do
you
know
the
title
my
roistering
bullies
give
me
?
I
do
n't
remember
you
!
—
Anyhow
,
you
have
no
right
to
take
liberties
!
My
name
is
—
I
am
lord
—
—
tut
,
tut
!
What
do
you
call
me
when
I
'm
—
I
mean
when
you
are
sober
?
I
cannot
—
at
the
moment
,
—
Why
,
what
is
my
name
?
—
I
must
have
been
very
drunk
when
I
went
to
bed
!
I
often
am
!
"
"
You
come
so
seldom
to
mine
,
that
I
do
not
know
,
my
lord
;
but
I
may
take
your
word
for
that
!
"
"
I
hope
so
!
"
"
—
if
for
nothing
else
!
"
"
Hoity
toity
!
I
never
told
you
a
lie
in
my
life
!
"
"
You
never
told
me
anything
but
lies
.
"
"
Upon
my
honour
!
—
Why
,
I
never
saw
the
woman
before
!
"
"
You
knew
me
well
enough
to
lie
to
,
my
lord
!
"
"
I
do
seem
to
begin
to
dream
I
have
met
you
before
,
but
,
upon
my
oath
,
there
is
nothing
to
know
you
by
!
Out
of
your
clothes
,
who
is
to
tell
who
you
may
not
be
?
—
One
thing
I
may
swear
—
that
I
never
saw
you
so
much
undressed
before
!
—
By
heaven
,
I
have
no
recollection
of
you
!
"
"
I
am
glad
to
hear
it
:
my
recollections
of
you
are
the
less
distasteful
!
—
Good
morning
,
my
lord
!
"
She
turned
away
,
hobbled
,
clacking
,
a
few
paces
,
and
stood
again
.
"
You
are
just
as
heartless
as
—
as
—
any
other
woman
,
madam
!
—
Where
in
this
hell
of
a
place
shall
I
find
my
valet
?
—
What
was
the
cursed
name
I
used
to
call
the
fool
?
"
He
turned
his
bare
noddle
this
way
and
that
on
its
creaking
pivot
,
still
holding
his
knee
with
both
hands
.
"
I
will
be
your
valet
for
once
,
my
lord
