Henry Brocken

arming

ly thysel

afflicte

FLET

the dell. Forgetful of thorn and brier, trickery and wantonness, we clambered down after him, o

ad in the green-grey shadows of the woods. Yet between the loft

alely sprouted from the gnarled boughs. Nor could I discern, though I searched close enough, elder or ash tree or bitter rue.

What narrow isles of sky were visible between the branches lay sunless and still. Yet already, o

alks. Even Rosinante seemed perturbed by the stillness and solitude of this wild garden. She trod with cautious foot and

talks of the ivy, and stooping like some poor travesty of Narcissus, with shaded face pierced down deep-deep into eyes not my own, but violet and unendurable and

e-nose brooded beside mine upon that water of undivulged delight. Out

get; in thi

lt tear to p

luding dr

orrow

ild ivy on

bird broods

e and the

ubled

or captive's

les in thy

disconten

its

the dewdrop

sleeps no m

my arms

or thy

as I, resisted that water-troubled hair, eyes

forget? You plead merely with some old dream of me-not all me, you know. Gold is but witchcraft

g of ivy-leaves. It was Rosinante, wearying, I suppose, of the reflection of her own mild countenance, that drew me

r the voice of the charmer, I came out again into the garden

into this wilderness. It stood with clustered summit and stoop

ound me, ever deepening, until at last I could but dimly discern the upper win

ldren stood in an attitude of listening on either side of the carved porch of

oe, the unearthly eyes of this unstirring figure, yet, when I advanced but one s

lofty lichenous tower: I took courage. Could such things be in else than Elfland? And she who out of beauty and being vanish

e when a hound appeared and stood regarding me with shining eyes in the faint gloaming. He was presently joined by one as light-fo

s solitude, carried a lantern whose beams were reflected upon himself, attired as

nt in the colourless eyes that were fixed composed

you first appeared on the terrace of my solitary gardens. I heard too the water-sprite: she only sings when footsteps stray upon the banks." He smiled wanly, and his nose seemed even sharper

ion, just as I might perhaps to some appariti

be possible,... yet I know not that either. My name is Ennui,"-he smiled again-"Prince Ennui. You have, perchance, heard som

nd arches of this old house, and he spoke with a

eed knew it by heart, and assured him modestly that I had not the least

a tradition," he replied; "me

among that festive and animated company I had read o

tly, and bowed m

simple thin

mmer on to summer, in the company of beasts so sly and silent, so alert and fleet as these hounds of h

and heating himself at the sport, a little after noon, leaving his attendants, had set out to return to the palace alone. But allured by the cool sec

He awoke again, between sunset and dark; the owl astir; "the silv

ands am awake to bid you welcome. But as for that, a few dwindling and harsh fruits in my orchards, and the cold river water that my dogs lap with me, are all that is left to offer you. For I who never sleep am never hungry, and they who never wake-I presum

how the rhythm of a voice so soft, so monotonous, could give such pleasure to the ear. I al

ked scarcely at ease beside him, while they,

and, despite its hardness, a delicious taste. The interwoven twigs of the stooping trees were thickly nested; a veritable wilderness of moonlike and starry flowers ran all to seed amid the nettles and

e, in the green heats of summer, had he come forth, taken shape, exalted himself? What but vegetable ichor coursed through veins transparent as his? What but the swarming mysteries of these thick woods lurked in his brai

staid bones beside the phantom creature this pri

hungry, but also because, while

; and far away beneath the motionless leaves a faint voice r

er on my palace walls. I am a captive ever less at ease. Summer by summer the sun rises shorn yet closer of his beams, and now the lingering transit of

atter and shrill menace of voices behind him hinted not all was c

e the tower was a canopy of clearest darkness spread, while

nd, the Prince signed to me to go in. I was not a little curious to view that enc

ui held his lantern on high, and by its flame, and the faint light that flowed in from abo

ith quiet skill all else. Tarnished, dusty, withered, overtaken, yellowed, and confounded lay banquet and cloth-of-gold, flagon, cup, fine linen, t

gone. He made no stir at our light, slumbered untreasoned on. The lids of his Queen were lightlier sealed, only withheld beauty as a c

to admire better the pomp, and the mirth, and the grace, and the vanity, no

aptivated me, dipping his fingers into his cup with a sidelong glance at his mother. There a high officer, I k

ke its-quite hard. And the bright lips never said a word. I sat down, rather clownishly I felt, beside an aged and simpering chancellor that once had seemed wise, but now seemed innocent, nibbling a biscuit crisp

holy stirs a dark lid. And all these dog-days-" He glanced at his motionless hounds. They raised languidly their narrow heads, whimpering softly, as if beseeching of their master that long-delayed supper-haplessly me. "No, no, sirs," said the Prince, as if he had read their d

re the not-unhappy Princess reclined before a looking-glass, whither I suppose she had run to view her own alarm when the sharp needle pierced her thumb. All alarm was stilled now on her face. She, one might think, of all that company of the sleepy

nd how swiftly, and how fearfully and brightly, those childish lids unsealed their light as of lilac

st through this agelong silence? Here's dust enough for

glanced str

does not come. I would willingly sleep; these-my dear sister, all these old fineries and love-jinglers would as

ed politic to refrain from giving offence to fangs apparently so eager to take it.

ked about me, first to find a means for keeping trespassers f

wait awhile before venturing,-wait, too, till I could see plainly where Rosinante had made her night-quarters. By good fortune I discovered he

, I very cautiously climbed out of my narrow window and descended slowly to the lawns beneath. My foot had scarcel

ed poor Rosinante out of sleep, and pushed her down into the deeps of

ut noiseless, the water rather rare than cold, yet, despite all the philosophy beaming out of her maidenly ey

we were speedily approaching the roaring fal

from the risen sun upon the gliding surface, and dwelt in splendour where danger sat charioted beneat

ts. Here rose the solitary tower where Echo tarried for the Hornblower. And straight before us, across that level floor

beauty and terror and glory in which they rode

am, wheeled around me. Light blinded me; clamour deafened me; foam and the pure wave and col