Lilith: A Romance

star in it was clear. It was even less defined than I had expected. I rose from the breakfast-table, and went to the window to glanc

opped the ring, and when I picked it up the eye was gone from it. The same moment the sun was obscured; a dark vapour covered him, and in a minute or two the whole sky was cloude

er the grass, with solemn gait, and utter disregard of the falling deluge. Suspecting who he was, I congratulated myself t

rd the library nor the stair, but to a little door that gave upon a grass-patch in a nook between two portions of the rambling old house. I made haste to open it for him. He stepped out into its creeper-covered porch, and stood looking at the rain, which fell like a huge thin cataract; I stood in the door behind him. The second flash came, and was

for the worm

nice for them to get out and in!-It must be a grand time on the steppes of Uranus!" he a

make it a grand

," he answered, "-like the field-mice and th

hat, if I may be s

ht think it a hairy elephant or a deinotherium-but none of the animals are the same as we have ever had here. I was almost frightened myself the first time I saw the

nd in about half a minute the

said the raven, and steppe

where?"

surely think you had got home? I told you there was n

want to go

erence-at least not much," h

e content

but you are n

orch onto the grass,

he house to-day," I

to the garden!" r

I replied, and ste

he raindrops flashed and sparkled on th

et your fee

drawing out a great wriggling red worm. He threw back his head, and tossed it

mistake, Mr. Raven: worms are

a reading man at present, but sexton at the-at a certain

you must dig something up! Only you should mind what it is before you make i

said th

proud, and cease to re

en he is making an

m?" said the raven, as if su

h, as you have just

have come from it first-for that will n

e a little dark cloud, the edges of which w

going down!" I exclaime

he raven. "That red

creatures forget their origi

igher and grow larger!" he returned. "B

ve the air fu

xton. If only the rest of the

turf, and out came the wriggling worm. H

but that moment declared I would not leave the hou

Mr. Raven?" I said with deep offenc

s to make himself, never an at

to make me do thing

ill, you will find

ery essence of my indi

t, therefore now I do not. You are bu

ng an unaccountable glimmer, and so finding my way home. But, alas! how could I any longer call that h

I looked d

you have not yet left your house, neither has your house left y

and you," I repli

s noise in his throat, and a flutter of his tail. "You had better f

urself, Mr. Raven! I confess I

er lies. But you see that large tree t

hy should I not?"

ot see it, and now you do

d

you think

where you

e is

illy questions!" I cried.

f your kitchen, and grows nearly

ng game of me!" I answer

you discovered me looking out o

s morning-not

horizon longer than that,

making a fool of me!"

one can do that

ecline t

mis

ow

y. You make yourself such by refusing what is tr

, ag

ing what i

side of that tree, I shall w

lady at the piano in the breakfast-room. That rosebus

no lady in

counted such in a certain country where all are

use the pi

here-a well-educated gir

it: you seem to me to be

cinth are inside the piano, among the strings of it, and give that p

cannot exist in the same

h you. It is a great mistake-one of the greatest ever wiseacre made!

sh!" I cried. "Plainly, you did not r

bookworm then, but when I came to know it, I woke among the butterflies. To be sure I have given up reading for a g

of a sound; I only smelt something I had never before smelt in any rose. It was

, there was the

Will you kindly show me my way home? I must go, for I have an appoi

hat was broken days

e the way,

k, you must go through yourself, an

ad all the laws to learn? There would, however, be adventure! that held consolation; and wheth

I was not to blame in being here, I might expect to be taken care of here as well as there! I had had nothing to do with getting into the world I had just left, and in it I had found myself heir to a

do not go much by the clock here. Still, the sooner one begins to

" I answered, and imme