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╒╨╠╧┴─┼─ 10-═AY-1997 BY: "╟LENN ╨.," <├128╒SER@╟╘╔.╬ET> ***** ╘╚┼ ╟╧╠─┼╬ ╦┼┘ ***** ┴┬╧╒╘ ╘╚┼ ┴╒╘╚╧╥: ═AC─ONALD, ╟EORGE (B.10-─EC-1824, D.18-╙EP-1905) ================================================================== ╙COTTISH NOVELIST AND POET, WRITER OF FANTASIES FOR CHILDREN. ╚E SERVED BRIEFLY AS A ├ONGREGATIONALIST MINISTER, BUT SPENT MOST OF HIS LIFE IN ┼NGLAND AS A LECTURER AND WRITER. ┴MONG HIS BEST-KNOWN WORKS FOR CHILDREN IS "╘HE ╟OLDEN ╦EY" (1868); OTHERS INCLUDE "┴T THE ┬ACK OF THE ╬ORTH ╫IND" (1871) AND "╘HE ╨RINCESS AND ├URDIE" (1883). ╚E ALSO WROTE TWO ALLEGORICAL FANTASIES FOR ADULTS: "╨HANTASTES" (1858) AND "╠ILLITH" (1895). ╨RESENTED HERE IS THE TEXT TO "╘HE ╟OLDEN ╦EY" IN ONE SINGLE TEXTFILE. ╬╧╘┼: ┴T ONE POINT IN THIS STORY, REFERENCE IS MADE TO THE STORY OF "╙ILVERHAIR", WHICH TURNS TO BE "╟OLDILOCKS ┴ND ╘HE ╘HREE ┬EARS"; "╙ILVERHAIR" APPARENTLY IS THE NAME BY WHICH THE TALE WAS KNOWN IN ═AC─ONALD'S DAY. ╧THERS MIGHT NOT CARE; BUT ╔ FOUND THIS JARRING, AND HAVE THEREFORE SUBSTITUTED OUR FAMILIAR "╟OLDILOCKS" FOR THE ORIGINAL "╙ILVERHAIR". ╘HIS ┼-╘EXT IS IN THE ╨UBLIC ─OMAIN. * * * * * * * * * * * "╘HE ╟OLDEN ╦EY: ┴ ┬OY ┴ND ┴ ╟IRL ╔N ╘HE ╟ARDEN ╧F ┼DEN", ┬Y: ╟EORGE ═AC─ONALD. ╘┴┬╠┼ OF ├╧╬╘┼╬╘╙: ================= ├HAPTER ╔: ╫HERE ╘HE ╥AINBOW ┼NDS ├HAPTER ╔╔: ╘WO ╥UNAWAYS ├HAPTER ╔╔╔: ╘HE ┴IR-╞ISH & ╟RANDMOTHER ├HAPTER ╔╓: ╘HE ╠ANGUAGE OF ╬ATURE ├HAPTER ╓: ╘HE ┴RRIVAL OF ═OSSY ├HAPTER ╓╔: ┴ ╙EA OF ╙HADOWS ├HAPTER ╓╔╔: ╘HE ╧LD ═AN OF THE ╙EA ├HAPTER ╓╔╔╔: ╘HE ╧LD ═AN OF THE ┼ARTH ├HAPTER ╔╪: ╘HE ╧LD ═AN OF THE ╞IRE ├HAPTER ╪: ╞ROM ╫HERE THE ╙HADOWS ╞ALL "╘HE ╟OLDEN ╦EY: ┴ ┬OY ┴ND ┴ ╟IRL ╔N ╘HE ╟ARDEN ╧F ┼DEN", ┬Y: ╟EORGE ═AC─ONALD. [╨┴╥╘ ╧╬┼: ├HAPTERS ╔ ╘HROUGH ╔╓ ╔NCLUSIVE.] ├HAPTER ╔: ╫HERE ╘HE ╥AINBOW ┼NDS 0001: ╘HERE WAS A BOY WHO USED TO SIT IN 0002: THE TWILIGHT AND LISTEN TO HIS 0003: GREAT-AUNT'S STORIES. 0004: ╙HE TOLD HIM THAT IF HE COULD 0005: REACH THE PLACE WHERE THE END OF THE 0006: RAINBOW STANDS HE WOULD FIND THERE A 0007: GOLDEN KEY. 0008: "┴ND WHAT IS THE KEY FOR?" THE BOY 0009: WOULD ASK. "╫HAT IS IT THE KEY OF? ╫HAT 0010: WILL IT OPEN?" 0011: "╘HAT NOBODY KNOWS," HIS AUNT 0012: WOULD REPLY. "╚E HAS TO FIND THAT OUT." 0013: "╔ SUPPOSE, BEING GOLD," THE BOY 0014: ONCE SAID, THOUGHTFULLY, "THAT ╔ COULD 0015: GET A GOOD DEAL OF MONEY FOR IT IF ╔ 0016: SOLD IT." 0017: "┬ETTER NEVER FIND IT THAN SELL 0018: IT," RETURNED HIS AUNT. 0019: ┴ND THEN THE BOY WENT TO BED AND 0020: DREAMED ABOUT THE GOLDEN KEY. 0021: ╬OW ALL THAT HIS GREAT-AUNT TOLD 0022: THE BOY ABOUT THE GOLDEN KEY WOULD HAVE 0023: BEEN NONSENSE, HAD IT NOT BEEN THAT 0024: THEIR LITTLE HOUSE STOOD ON THE BORDERS 0025: OF ╞AIRYLAND. ╞OR IT IS PERFECTLY WELL 0026: KNOWN THAT OUT OF ╞AIRYLAND NOBODY EVER 0027: CAN FIND WHERE THE RAINBOW STANDS. ╘HE 0028: CREATURE TAKES SUCH GOOD CARE OF ITS 0029: GOLDEN KEY, ALWAYS FLITTING FROM PLACE 0030: TO PLACE, LEST ANY ONE SHOULD FIND IT! 0031: ┬UT IN ╞AIRYLAND IT IS QUITE DIFFERENT. 0032: ╘HINGS THAT LOOK REAL IN THIS COUNTRY 0033: OOK VERY THIN INDEED IN ╞AIRYLAND, 0034: WHILE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT HERE 0035: CANNOT STAND STILL FOR A MOMENT, WILL 0036: NOT MOVE THERE. ╙O IT WAS NOT IN THE 0037: LEAST ABSURD OF THE OLD LADY TO TELL 0038: HER NEPHEW SUCH THINGS ABOUT THE 0039: GOLDEN KEY. 0040: "─ID YOU EVER KNOW ANYBODY FIND 0041: IT?" HE ASKED, ONE EVENING. 0042: "┘ES. ┘OUR FATHER, ╔ BELIEVE, 0043: FOUND IT." 0044: "┴ND WHAT DID HE DO WITH IT, CAN 0045: YOU TELL ME?" 0046: "╚E NEVER TOLD ME." 0047: "╫HAT WAS IT LIKE?" 0048: "╚E NEVER SHOWED IT TO ME." 0049: "╚OW DOES A NEW KEY COME THERE 0050: ALWAYS?" 0051: "╔ DON'T KNOW. ╘HERE IT IS." 0052: "╨ERHAPS IT IS THE RAINBOW'S EGG!" 0053: "╨ERHAPS IT IS. ┘OU WILL BE A 0054: HAPPY BOY IF YOU FIND THE NEST." 0055: "╨ERHAPS IT COMES TUMBLING DOWN 0056: THE RAINBOW FROM THE SKY." 0057: "╨ERHAPS IT DOES." ├HAPTER ╔╔: ╘WO ╥UNAWAYS 0058: ╧NE EVENING, IN SUMMER, HE WENT 0059: INTO HIS OWN ROOM, AND STOOD AT THE 0060: LATTICE-WINDOW, AND GAZED INTO THE 0061: FOREST WHICH FRINGED THE OUTSKIRTS OF 0062: ╞AIRYLAND. ╔T CAME CLOSE UP TO HIS 0063: GREAT AUNT'S GARDEN, AND, INDEED, SENT 0064: SOME STRAGGLING TREES INTO IT. ╘HE 0065: FOREST LAY TO THE EAST, AND THE SUN, 0066: WHICH WAS SETTING BEHIND THE COTTAGE, 0067: LOOKED STRAIGHT INTO THE DARK WOOD 0068: WITH HIS LEVEL RED EYE. ╘HE TREES WERE 0069: ALL OLD, AND HAD FEW BRANCHES BELOW, SO 0070: THAT THE SUN COULD SEE A GREAT WAY INTO 0071: THE FOREST; AND THE BOY, BEING 0072: KEEN-SIGHTED, COULD SEE ALMOST AS FAR 0073: AS THE SUN. ╘HE TRUNKS STOOD LIKE ROWS 0074: OF RED COLUMNS IN THE SHINE OF THE RED 0075: SUN, AND HE COULD SEE DOWN AISLE AFTER 0076: AISLE IN THE VANISHING DISTANCE. ┴ND AS 0077: HE GAZED INTO THE FOREST HE BEGAN TO 0078: FEEL AS IF THE TREES WERE ALL WAITING 0079: FOR HIM, AND HAD SOMETHING THEY COULD 0080: NOT GO ON WITH TILL HE CAME TO THEM. 0081: ┬UT HE WAS HUNGRY AND WANTED HIS 0082: SUPPER. ╙O HE LINGERED. 0083: ╙UDDENLY, FAR AMONG THE TREES, AS 0084: FAR AS THE SUN COULD SHINE, HE SAW A 0085: GLORIOUS THING. ╔T WAS THE END OF A 0086: RAINBOW, LARGE AND BRILLIANT. ╚E COULD 0087: COUNT ALL SEVEN COLOURS, AND COULD SEE 0088: SHADE AFTER SHADE BEYOND THE VIOLET; 0089: WHILE BEFORE THE RED STOOD A COLOUR 0090: MORE GORGEOUS AND MYSTERIOUS STILL. ╔T 0091: WAS A COLOUR HE HAD NEVER SEEN BEFORE. 0092: ╧NLY THE SPRING OF THE RAINBOW-ARCH WAS 0093: VISIBLE. ╚E COULD SEE NOTHING OF IT 0094: ABOVE THE TREES. 0095: "╘HE GOLDEN KEY!" HE SAID TO 0096: HIMSELF, AND DARTED OUT OF THE HOUSE, 0097: AND INTO THE WOOD. 0098: ╚E HAD NOT GONE FAR BEFORE THE SUN 0099: SET. ┬UT THE RAINBOW ONLY GLOWED THE 0100: BRIGHTER. ╞OR THE RAINBOW OF ╞AIRYLAND 0101: IS NOT DEPENDENT UPON THE SUN AS OURS 0102: IS. ╘HE TREES WELCOMED HIM. ╘HE BUSHES 0103: MADE WAY FOR HIM. ╘HE RAINBOW GREW 0104: LARGER AND BRIGHTER; AND AT LENGTH HE 0105: FOUND HIMSELF WITHIN TWO TREES OF IT. 0106: ╔T WAS A GRAND SIGHT, BURNING AWAY 0107: THERE IN SILENCE, WITH ITS GORGEOUS, 0108: ITS LOVELY, ITS DELICATE COLOURS, EACH 0109: DISTINCT, ALL COMBINING. ╚E COULD NOW 0110: SEE A GREAT DEAL MORE OF IT. ╔T ROSE 0111: HIGH INTO THE BLUE HEAVENS, BUT BENT SO 0112: LITTLE THAT HE COULD NOT TELL HOW HIGH 0113: THE CROWN OF THE ARCH MUST REACH. ╔T 0114: WAS STILL ONLY A SMALL PORTION OF A 0115: HUGE BOW. 0116: ╚E STOOD GAZING AT IT TILL HE 0117: FORGOT HIMSELF WITH DELIGHT -- EVEN 0118: FORGOT THE KEY WHICH HE HAD COME TO 0119: SEEK. ┴ND AS HE STOOD IT GREW MORE 0120: WONDERFUL STILL. ╞OR IN EACH OF THE 0121: COLOURS, WHICH WAS AS LARGE AS THE 0122: COLUMN OF A CHURCH, HE COULD FAINTLY 0123: SEE BEAUTIFUL FORMS SLOWLY ASCENDING AS 0124: IF BY THE STEPS OF A WINDING STAIR. ╘HE 0125: FORMS APPEARED IRREGULARLY -- NOW ONE, 0126: NOW MANY, NOW SEVERAL, NOW NONE -- MEN 0127: AND WOMEN AND CHILDREN -- ALL 0128: DIFFERENT, ALL BEAUTIFUL. 0129: ╚E DREW NEARER TO THE RAINBOW. ╔T 0130: VANISHED. ╚E STARTED BACK A STEP IN 0131: DISMAY. ╔T WAS THERE AGAIN, AS 0132: BEAUTIFUL AS EVER. ╙O HE CONTENTED 0133: HIMSELF WITH STANDING AS NEAR IT AS HE 0134: MIGHT, AND WATCHING THE FORMS THAT 0135: ASCENDED THE GLORIOUS COLOURS TOWARDS 0136: THE UNKNOWN HEIGHT OF THE ARCH, WHICH 0137: DID NOT END ABRUPTLY BUT FADED AWAY IN 0138: THE BLUE AIR, SO GRADUALLY THAT HE 0139: COULD NOT SAY WHERE IT CEASED. 0140: ╫HEN THE THOUGHT OF THE GOLDEN KEY 0141: RETURNED, THE BOY VERY WISELY PROCEEDED 0142: TO MARK OUT IN HIS MIND THE SPACE 0143: COVERED BY THE FOUNDATION OF THE 0144: RAINBOW, IN ORDER THAT HE MIGHT KNOW 0145: WHERE TO SEARCH, SHOULD THE RAINBOW 0146: DISAPPEAR. ╔T WAS BASED CHIEFLY UPON A 0147: BED OF MOSS. 0148: ═EANTIME IT HAD GROWN QUITE DARK 0149: IN THE WOOD. ╘HE RAINBOW ALONE WAS 0150: VISIBLE BY ITS OWN LIGHT. ┬UT THE 0151: MOMENT THE MOON ROSE THE RAINBOW 0152: VANISHED. ╬OR COULD ANY CHANGE OF PLACE 0153: RESTORE THE VISION TO THE BOY'S EYES. 0154: ╙O HE THREW HIMSELF DOWN UPON THE MOSSY 0155: BED, TO WAIT TILL THE SUNLIGHT WOULD 0156: GIVE HIM A CHANCE OF FINDING THE KEY. 0157: ╘HERE HE FELL FAST ASLEEP. 0158: ╫HEN HE WOKE IN THE MORNING THE 0159: SUN WAS LOOKING STRAIGHT INTO HIS EYES. 0160: ╚E TURNED AWAY FROM IT, AND THE SAME 0161: MOMENT SAW A BRILLIANT LITTLE THING 0162: LYING ON THE MOSS WITHIN A FOOT OF HIS 0163: FACE. ╔T WAS THE GOLDEN KEY. ╘HE PIPE 0164: OF IT WAS OF PLAIN GOLD, AS BRIGHT AS 0165: GOLD COULD BE. ╘HE HANDLE WAS CURIOUSLY 0166: WROUGHT AND SET WITH SAPPHIRES. ╔N A 0167: TERROR OF DELIGHT HE PUT OUT HIS HAND 0168: AND TOOK IT, AND HAD IT. 0169: ╚E LAY FOR A WHILE, TURNING IT 0170: OVER AND OVER, AND FEEDING HIS EYES 0171: UPON ITS BEAUTY. ╘HEN HE JUMPED TO HIS 0172: FEET, REMEMBERING THAT THE PRETTY THING 0173: WAS OF NO USE TO HIM YET. ╫HERE WAS THE 0174: LOCK TO WHICH THE KEY BELONGED? ╔T MUST 0175: BE SOMEWHERE, FOR HOW COULD ANYBODY BE 0176: SO SILLY AS MAKE A KEY FOR WHICH THERE 0177: WAS NO LOCK? ╫HERE SHOULD HE GO TO LOOK 0178: FOR IT? ╚E GAZED ABOUT HIM, UP INTO THE 0179: AIR, DOWN TO THE EARTH, BUT SAW NO 0180: KEYHOLE IN THE CLOUDS, IN THE GRASS, OR 0181: IN THE TREES. 0182: ╩UST AS HE BEGAN TO GROW 0183: DISCONSOLATE, HOWEVER, HE SAW SOMETHING 0184: GLIMMERING IN THE WOOD. ╔T WAS A MERE 0185: GLIMMER THAT HE SAW, BUT HE TOOK IT FOR 0186: A GLIMMER OF RAINBOW, AND WENT TOWARDS 0187: IT. ┴ND NOW ╔ WILL GO BACK TO THE 0188: BORDERS OF THE FOREST. 0189: ╬OT FAR FROM THE HOUSE WHERE THE 0190: BOY HAD LIVED, THERE WAS ANOTHER HOUSE, 0191: THE OWNER OF WHICH WAS A MERCHANT, WHO 0192: WAS MUCH AWAY FROM HOME. ╚E HAD LOST 0193: HIS WIFE SOME YEARS BEFORE, AND HAD 0194: ONLY ONE CHILD, A LITTLE GIRL, WHOM HE 0195: LEFT TO THE CHARGE OF TWO SERVANTS, WHO 0196: WERE VERY IDLE AND CARELESS. ╙O SHE WAS 0197: NEGLECTED AND LEFT UNTIDY, AND WAS 0198: SOMETIMES ILL-USED BESIDES. 0199: ╬OW IT IS WELL KNOWN THAT THE 0200: LITTLE CREATURES COMMONLY CALLED 0201: FAIRIES, THOUGH THERE ARE MANY 0202: DIFFERENT KINDS OF FAIRIES IN 0203: ╞AIRYLAND, HAVE AN EXCEEDING DISLIKE TO 0204: UNTIDINESS. ╔NDEED, THEY ARE QUITE 0205: SPITEFUL TO SLOVENLY PEOPLE. ┬EING USED 0206: TO ALL THE LOVELY WAYS OF THE TREES AND 0207: FLOWERS, AND TO THE NEATNESS OF THE 0208: BIRDS AND ALL WOODLAND CREATURES, IT 0209: MAKES THEM FEEL MISERABLE, EVEN IN 0210: THEIR DEEP WOODS AND ON THEIR GRASSY 0211: CARPETS, TO THINK THAT WITHIN THE SAME 0212: MOONLIGHT LIES A DIRTY, UNCOMFORTABLE, 0213: SLOVENLY HOUSE. ┴ND THIS MAKES THEM 0214: ANGRY WITH THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE IN IT, 0215: AND THEY WOULD GLADLY DRIVE THEM OUT OF 0216: THE WORLD IF THEY COULD. ╘HEY WANT THE 0217: WHOLE EARTH NICE AND CLEAN. ╙O THEY 0218: PINCH THE MAIDS BLACK AND BLUE, AND 0219: PLAY THEM ALL MANNER OF UNCOMFORTABLE 0220: TRICKS. 0221: ┬UT THIS HOUSE WAS QUITE A SHAME, 0222: AND THE FAIRIES IN THE FOREST COULD NOT 0223: ENDURE IT. ╘HEY TRIED EVERYTHING ON THE 0224: MAIDS WITHOUT EFFECT, AND AT LAST 0225: RESOLVED UPON MAKING A CLEAN RIDDANCE, 0226: BEGINNING WITH THE CHILD. ╘HEY OUGHT TO 0227: HAVE KNOWN THAT IT WAS NOT HER FAULT, 0228: BUT THEY HAVE LITTLE PRINCIPLE AND MUCH 0229: MISCHIEF IN THEM, AND THEY THOUGHT THAT 0230: IF THEY GOT RID OF HER THE MAIDS WOULD 0231: BE SURE TO BE TURNED AWAY. 0232: ╙O ONE EVENING, THE POOR LITTLE 0233: GIRL HAVING BEEN PUT TO BED EARLY, 0234: BEFORE THE SUN WAS DOWN, THE SERVANTS 0235: WENT OFF TO THE VILLAGE, LOCKING THE 0236: DOOR BEHIND THEM. ╘HE CHILD DID NOT 0237: KNOW SHE WAS ALONE, AND LAY CONTENTEDLY 0238: LOOKING OUT OF HER WINDOW TOWARDS THE 0239: FOREST, OF WHICH, HOWEVER, SHE COULD 0240: NOT SEE MUCH, BECAUSE OF THE IVY AND 0241: OTHER CREEPING PLANTS WHICH HAD 0242: STRAGGLED ACROSS HER WINDOW. ┴LL AT 0243: ONCE SHE SAW AN APE MAKING FACES AT HER 0244: OUT OF THE MIRROR, AND THE HEADS CARVED 0245: UPON A GREAT OLD WARDROBE GRINNING 0246: FEARFULLY. ╘HEN TWO OLD SPIDER-LEGGED 0247: CHAIRS CAME FORWARD INTO THE MIDDLE OF 0248: THE ROOM, AND BEGAN TO DANCE A QUEER, 0249: OLD-FASHIONED DANCE. ╘HIS SET HER 0250: LAUGHING, AND SHE FORGOT THE 0251: APE AND THE GRINNING HEADS. ╙O THE 0252: FAIRIES SAW THEY HAD MADE A MISTAKE, 0253: AND SENT THE CHAIRS BACK TO THEIR 0254: PLACES. ┬UT THEY KNEW THAT SHE HAD BEEN 0255: READING THE STORY OF ╟OLDILOCKS ALL 0256: DAY. ╙O THE NEXT MOMENT SHE HEARD THE 0257: VOICES OF THE THREE BEARS UPON THE 0258: STAIR, BIG VOICE, MIDDLE VOICE, AND 0259: LITTLE VOICE, AND SHE HEARD THEIR SOFT, 0260: HEAVY TREAD, AS IF THEY HAD HAD 0261: STOCKINGS OVER THEIR BOOTS, COMING 0262: NEARER AND NEARER TO THE DOOR OF HER 0263: ROOM, TILL SHE COULD BEAR IT NO LONGER. 0264: ╙HE DID JUST AS ╟OLDILOCKS DID, AND AS 0265: THE FAIRIES WANTED HER TO DO: SHE 0266: DARTED TO THE WINDOW, PULLED IT OPEN, 0267: GOT UPON THE IVY, AND SO SCRAMBLED TO 0268: THE GROUND. ╙HE THEN FLED TO THE FOREST 0269: AS FAST AS SHE COULD RUN. 0270: ╬OW, ALTHOUGH SHE DID NOT KNOW IT, 0271: THIS WAS THE VERY BEST WAY SHE COULD 0272: HAVE GONE; FOR NOTHING IS EVER SO 0273: MISCHIEVOUS IN ITS OWN PLACE AS IT IS 0274: OUT OF IT; AND, BESIDES, THESE 0275: MISCHIEVOUS CREATURES WERE ONLY THE 0276: CHILDREN OF ╞AIRYLAND, AS IT WERE, AND 0277: THERE ARE MANY OTHER BEINGS THERE AS 0278: WELL; AND IF A WANDERER GETS IN AMONG 0279: THEM, THE GOOD ONES WILL ALWAYS HELP 0280: HIM MORE THAN THE EVIL ONES WILL BE 0281: ABLE TO HURT HIM. ├HAPTER ╔╔╔: ╘HE ┴IR-╞ISH & ╟RANDMOTHER 0282: ╘HE SUN WAS NOW SET, AND THE 0283: DARKNESS COMING ON, BUT THE CHILD 0284: THOUGHT OF NO DANGER BUT THE BEARS 0285: BEHIND HER. ╔F SHE HAD LOOKED ROUND, 0286: HOWEVER, SHE WOULD HAVE SEEN THAT SHE 0287: WAS FOLLOWED BY A VERY DIFFERENT 0288: CREATURE FROM A BEAR. ╔T WAS A CURIOUS 0289: CREATURE, MADE LIKE A FISH, BUT 0290: COVERED, INSTEAD OF SCALES, WITH 0291: FEATHERS OF ALL COLOURS, SPARKLING 0292: LIKE THOSE OF A HUMMING BIRD. ╔T HAD 0293: FINS, NOT WINGS, AND SWAM THROUGH THE 0294: AIR AS A FISH DOES THROUGH THE WATER. 0295: ╔TS HEAD WAS LIKE THE HEAD OF A SMALL 0296: OWL. 0297: ┴FTER RUNNING A LONG WAY, AND AS 0298: THE LAST OF THE LIGHT WAS DISAPPEARING, 0299: SHE PASSED UNDER A TREE WITH DROOPING 0300: BRANCHES. ╔T DROPPED ITS BRANCHES TO 0301: THE GROUND ALL ABOUT HER, AND CAUGHT 0302: HER AS IN A TRAP. ╙HE STRUGGLED TO GET 0303: OUT, BUT THE BRANCHES PRESSED HER 0304: CLOSER AND CLOSER TO THE TRUNK. ╙HE WAS 0305: IN GREAT TERROR AND DISTRESS, WHEN THE 0306: AIR-FISH, SWIMMING INTO THE THICKET OF 0307: BRANCHES, BEGAN TEARING THEM WITH ITS 0308: BEAK. ╘HEY LOOSENED THEIR HOLD AT ONCE, 0309: AND THE CREATURE WENT ON ATTACKING 0310: THEM, TILL AT LENGTH THEY LET THE CHILD 0311: GO. ╘HEN THE AIR-FISH CAME FROM BEHIND 0312: HER, AND SWAM ON IN FRONT, GLITTERING 0313: AND SPARKLING ALL LOVELY COLOURS; AND 0314: SHE FOLLOWED. 0315: ╔T LED HER GENTLY ALONG TILL ALL 0316: AT ONCE IT SWAM IN AT A COTTAGE DOOR. 0317: ╘HE CHILD FOLLOWED STILL. ╘HERE WAS A 0318: BRIGHT FIRE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FLOOR, 0319: UPON WHICH STOOD A POT WITHOUT A LID, 0320: FULL OF WATER THAT BOILED AND BUBBLED 0321: FURIOUSLY. ╘HE AIR-FISH SWAM STRAIGHT 0322: TO THE POT AND INTO THE BOILING WATER, 0323: WHERE IT LAY QUIET. ┴ BEAUTIFUL WOMAN 0324: ROSE FROM THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE FIRE 0325: AND CAME TO MEET THE GIRL. ╙HE TOOK HER 0326: UP IN HER ARMS, AND SAID, 0327: "┴H, YOU ARE COME AT LAST! ╔ HAVE 0328: BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU A LONG TIME." 0329: ╙HE SAT DOWN WITH HER ON HER LAP, 0330: AND THERE THE GIRL SAT STARING AT HER. 0331: ╙HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYONE SO BEAUTIFUL. 0332: ╙HE WAS TALL AND STRONG, WITH WHITE 0333: ARMS AND NECK, AND A DELICATE FLUSH ON 0334: HER FACE. ╘HE CHILD COULD NOT TELL WHAT 0335: WAS THE COLOUR OF HER HAIR, BUT COULD 0336: NOT HELP THINKING IT HAD A TINGE OF 0337: DARK GREEN. ╙HE HAD NOT ONE ORNAMENT 0338: UPON HER, BUT SHE LOOKED AS IF SHE HAD 0339: JUST PUT OFF QUANTITIES OF DIAMONDS AND 0340: EMERALDS. ┘ET HERE SHE WAS IN THE 0341: SIMPLEST, POOREST LITTLE COTTAGE, WHERE 0342: SHE WAS EVIDENTLY AT HOME. ╙HE WAS 0343: DRESSED IN SHINING GREEN. 0344: ╘HE GIRL LOOKED AT THE LADY, AND 0345: THE LADY LOOKED AT THE GIRL. 0346: "╫HAT IS YOUR NAME?" ASKED THE 0347: LADY. 0348: "╘HE SERVANTS ALWAYS CALLED ME 0349: ╘ANGLE." 0350: "┴H, THAT WAS BECAUSE YOUR HAIR 0351: WAS SO UNTIDY. ┬UT THAT WAS THEIR 0352: FAULT, THE NAUGHTY WOMEN! ╙TILL IT IS A 0353: PRETTY NAME, AND ╔ WILL CALL YOU ╘ANGLE 0354: TOO. ┘OU MUST NOT MIND MY ASKING YOU 0355: QUESTIONS, FOR YOU MAY ASK ME THE SAME 0356: QUESTIONS, EVERY ONE OF THEM, AND ANY 0357: OTHERS THAT YOU LIKE. ╚OW OLD ARE YOU?" 0358: "╘EN," ANSWERED ╘ANGLE. 0359: "┘OU DON'T LOOK LIKE IT," SAID THE 0360: LADY. 0361: "╚OW OLD ARE YOU, PLEASE?" 0362: RETURNED ╘ANGLE. 0363: "╘HOUSANDS OF YEARS OLD," ANSWERED 0364: THE LADY. 0365: "┘OU DON'T LOOK LIKE IT," SAID 0366: ╘ANGLE. 0367: "─ON'T ╔? ╔ THINK ╔ DO. ─ON'T YOU 0368: SEE HOW BEAUTIFUL ╔ AM!" 0369: ┴ND HER GREAT BLUE EYES LOOKED 0370: DOWN ON LITTLE ╘ANGLE, AS IF ALL THE 0371: STARS IN THE SKY WERE MELTED IN THEM TO 0372: MAKE THEIR BRIGHTNESS. 0373: "┴H! BUT," SAID ╘ANGLE, "WHEN 0374: PEOPLE LIVE LONG THEY GROW OLD. ┴T 0375: LEAST ╔ ALWAYS THOUGHT SO." 0376: "╔ HAVE NOT TIME TO GROW OLD," 0377: SAID THE LADY. "╔ AM TOO BUSY FOR THAT. 0378: ╔T IS VERY IDLE TO GROW OLD. ┬UT ╔ 0379: CANNOT HAVE MY LITTLE GIRL SO UNTIDY. 0380: ─O YOU KNOW ╔ CAN'T FIND A CLEAN SPOT 0381: ON YOUR FACE TO KISS!" 0382: "╨ERHAPS," SUGGESTED ╘ANGLE, 0383: FEELING ASHAMED, BUT NOT TOO MUCH SO TO 0384: SAY A WORD FOR HERSELF, "PERHAPS THAT 0385: IS BECAUSE THE TREE MADE ME CRY SO." 0386: "═Y POOR DARLING!" SAID THE LADY, 0387: LOOKING NOW AS IF THE MOON WERE MELTED 0388: IN HER EYES, AND KISSING HER LITTLE 0389: FACE, DIRTY AS IT WAS, "THE NAUGHTY 0390: TREE MUST SUFFER FOR MAKING A GIRL 0391: CRY." 0392: "┴ND WHAT IS YOUR NAME, PLEASE?" 0393: ASKED ╘ANGLE. 0394: "╟RANDMOTHER," ANSWERED THE LADY. 0395: "╔S IT REALLY?" 0396: "┘ES, INDEED. ╔ NEVER TELL STORIES, 0397: EVEN IN FUN." 0398: "╚OW GOOD OF YOU!" 0399: "╔ COULDN'T IF ╔ TRIED. ╔T WOULD 0400: COME TRUE IF ╔ SAID IT, AND THEN ╔ 0401: SHOULD BE PUNISHED ENOUGH." ┴ND SHE 0402: SMILED LIKE THE SUN THROUGH A 0403: SUMMER-SHOWER. 0404: "┬UT NOW," SHE WENT ON, "╔ MUST 0405: GET YOU WASHED AND DRESSED, AND THEN WE 0406: SHALL HAVE SOME SUPPER." 0407: "╧H! ╔ HAD SUPPER LONG AGO," SAID 0408: ╘ANGLE. 0409: "┘ES, INDEED YOU HAD," ANSWERED 0410: THE LADY, "THREE YEARS AGO. ┘OU DON'T 0411: KNOW THAT IT IS THREE YEARS SINCE YOU 0412: RAN AWAY FROM THE BEARS. ┘OU ARE 0413: THIRTEEN AND MORE NOW." 0414: ╘ANGLE COULD ONLY STARE. ╙HE FELT 0415: QUITE SURE IT WAS TRUE. 0416: "┘OU WILL NOT BE AFRAID OF 0417: ANYTHING ╔ DO WITH YOU -- WILL YOU?" 0418: SAID THE LADY. 0419: "╔ WILL TRY VERY HARD NOT TO BE; 0420: BUT ╔ CAN'T BE CERTAIN, YOU KNOW," 0421: REPLIED ╘ANGLE. 0422: "╔ LIKE YOUR SAYING SO, AND ╔ 0423: SHALL BE QUITE SATISFIED," ANSWERED THE 0424: LADY. 0425: ╙HE TOOK OFF THE GIRL'S 0426: NIGHT-GOWN, ROSE WITH HER IN HER ARMS, 0427: AND GOING TO THE WALL OF THE COTTAGE, 0428: OPENED A DOOR. ╘HEN ╘ANGLE SAW A DEEP 0429: TANK, THE SIDES OF WHICH WERE FILLED 0430: WITH GREEN PLANTS, WHICH HAD FLOWERS OF 0431: ALL COLOURS. ╘HERE WAS A ROOF OVER IT 0432: LIKE THE ROOF OF THE COTTAGE. ╔T WAS 0433: FILLED WITH BEAUTIFUL CLEAR WATER, IN 0434: WHICH SWAM A MULTITUDE OF SUCH FISHES 0435: AS THE ONE THAT HAD LED HER TO THE 0436: COTTAGE. ╔T WAS THE LIGHT THEIR COLOURS 0437: GAVE THAT SHOWED THE PLACE IN WHICH 0438: THEY WERE. 0439: ╘HE LADY SPOKE SOME WORDS ╘ANGLE 0440: COULD NOT UNDERSTAND, AND THREW HER 0441: INTO THE TANK. 0442: ╘HE FISHES CAME CROWDING ABOUT 0443: HER. ╘WO OR THREE OF THEM GOT UNDER HER 0444: HEAD AND KEPT IT UP. ╘HE REST OF THEM 0445: RUBBED THEMSELVES ALL OVER HER, AND 0446: WITH THEIR WET FEATHERS WASHED HER 0447: QUITE CLEAN. ╘HEN THE LADY, WHO HAD 0448: BEEN LOOKING ON ALL THE TIME, SPOKE 0449: AGAIN; WHEREUPON SOME THIRTY OR FORTY 0450: OF THE FISHES ROSE OUT OF THE WATER 0451: UNDERNEATH ╘ANGLE, AND SO BORE HER UP 0452: TO THE ARMS THE LADY HELD OUT TO TAKE 0453: HER. ╙HE CARRIED HER BACK TO THE FIRE, 0454: AND, HAVING DRIED HER WELL, OPENED A 0455: CHEST, AND TAKING OUT THE FINEST LINEN 0456: GARMENTS, SMELLING OF GRASS AND 0457: LAVENDER, PUT THEM UPON HER, AND OVER 0458: ALL A GREEN DRESS, JUST LIKE HER OWN, 0459: SHINING LIKE HERS, AND SOFT LIKE HERS, 0460: AND GOING INTO JUST SUCH LOVELY FOLDS 0461: FROM THE WAIST, WHERE IT WAS TIED WITH 0462: A BROWN CORD, TO HER BARE FEET. 0463: "╫ON'T YOU GIVE ME A PAIR OF SHOES 0464: TOO, GRANDMOTHER?" SAID ╘ANGLE. 0465: "╬O, MY DEAR; NO SHOES. ╠OOK HERE. 0466: ╔ WEAR NO SHOES." 0467: ╙O SAYING SHE LIFTED HER DRESS A 0468: LITTLE, AND THERE WERE THE LOVELIEST 0469: WHITE FEET, BUT NO SHOES. ╘HEN ╘ANGLE 0470: WAS CONTENT TO GO WITHOUT SHOES TOO. 0471: ┴ND THE LADY SAT DOWN WITH HER AGAIN, 0472: AND COMBED HER HAIR, AND BRUSHED IT, 0473: AND THEN LEFT IT TO DRY WHILE SHE GOT 0474: THE SUPPER. ├HAPTER ╔╓: ╘HE ╠ANGUAGE OF ╬ATURE 0475: ╞IRST SHE GOT BREAD OUT OF ONE 0476: HOLE IN THE WALL; THEN MILK OUT OF 0477: ANOTHER; THEN SEVERAL KINDS OF FRUIT 0478: OUT A THIRD; AND THEN SHE WENT TO THE 0479: POT ON THE FIRE, AND TOOK OUT THE FISH, 0480: NOW NICELY COOKED, AND, AS SOON AS SHE 0481: HAD PULLED OFF ITS FEATHERED SKIN, 0482: READY TO BE EATEN. 0483: "┬UT--!" EXCLAIMED ╘ANGLE. ┴ND SHE 0484: STARED AT THE FISH, AND COULD SAY NO 0485: MORE. 0486: "╔ KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN," RETURNED 0487: THE LADY. "┘OU DO NOT LIKE TO EAT THE 0488: MESSENGER THAT BROUGHT YOU HOME. ┬UT IT 0489: IS THE KINDEST RETURN YOU CAN MAKE. ╘HE 0490: CREATURE WAS AFRAID TO GO UNTIL IT SAW 0491: ME PUT THE POT ON, AND HEARD ME PROMISE 0492: IT SHOULD BE BOILED THE MOMENT IT 0493: RETURNED WITH YOU. ╘HEN IT DARTED OUT 0494: OF THE DOOR AT ONCE. ┘OU SAW IT GO INTO 0495: THE POT OF ITSELF THE MOMENT IT 0496: ENTERED, DID YOU NOT?" 0497: "╔ DID," ANSWERED ╘ANGLE, "AND ╔ 0498: THOUGHT IT VERY STRANGE; BUT THEN ╔ SAW 0499: YOU, AND FORGOT ALL ABOUT THE FISH." 0500: "╔N ╞AIRYLAND," RESUMED THE LADY, 0501: AS THEY SAT DOWN TO THE TABLE, "THE 0502: AMBITION OF THE ANIMALS IS TO BE EATEN 0503: BY THE PEOPLE; FOR THAT IS THEIR 0504: HIGHEST END IN THAT CONDITION. ┬UT THEY 0505: ARE NOT THEREFORE DESTROYED. ╧UT OF 0506: THAT POT COMES SOMETHING MORE THAN THE 0507: DEAD FISH, YOU WILL SEE." 0508: ╘ANGLE NOW REMARKED THAT THE LID 0509: WAS ON THE POT. ┬UT THE LADY TOOK NO 0510: FURTHER NOTICE OF IT TILL THEY HAD 0511: EATEN THE FISH, WHICH ╘ANGLE FOUND 0512: NICER THAN ANY FISH SHE HAD EVER TASTED 0513: BEFORE. ╔T WAS AS WHITE AS SNOW, AND AS 0514: DELICATE AS CREAM. ┴ND THE MOMENT SHE 0515: HAD SWALLOWED A MOUTHFUL OF IT, A 0516: CHANGE SHE COULD NOT DESCRIBE BEGAN TO 0517: TAKE PLACE IN HER. ╙HE HEARD A 0518: MURMURING ALL ABOUT HER, WHICH BECAME 0519: MORE AND MORE ARTICULATE, AND AT 0520: LENGTH, AS SHE WENT ON EATING, GREW 0521: INTELLIGIBLE. ┬Y THE TIME SHE HAD 0522: FINISHED HER SHARE, THE SOUNDS OF ALL 0523: THE ANIMALS IN THE FOREST CAME CROWDING 0524: THROUGH THE DOOR TO HER EARS; FOR THE 0525: DOOR STILL STOOD WIDE OPEN, THOUGH IT 0526: WAS PITCH DARK OUTSIDE; AND THEY WERE 0527: NO LONGER SOUNDS ONLY; THEY WERE 0528: SPEECH, AND SPEECH THAT SHE COULD 0529: UNDERSTAND. ╙HE COULD TELL WHAT THE 0530: INSECTS IN THE COTTAGE WERE SAYING TO 0531: EACH OTHER TOO. ╙HE HAD EVEN A 0532: SUSPICION THAT THE TREES AND FLOWERS 0533: ALL ABOUT THE COTTAGE WERE HOLDING 0534: MIDNIGHT COMMUNICATIONS WITH EACH 0535: OTHER; BUT WHAT THEY SAID SHE COULD NOT 0536: HEAR. 0537: ┴S SOON AS THE FISH WAS EATEN, THE 0538: LADY WENT TO THE FIRE AND TOOK THE LID 0539: OFF THE POT. ┴ LOVELY LITTLE CREATURE 0540: IN HUMAN SHAPE, WITH LARGE WHITE WINGS, 0541: ROSE OUT OF IT, AND FLEW ROUND AND 0542: ROUND THE ROOF OF THE COTTAGE; THEN 0543: DROPPED, FLUTTERING, AND NESTLED IN THE 0544: LAP OF THE LADY. ╙HE SPOKE TO IT SOME 0545: STRANGE WORDS, CARRIED IT TO THE DOOR, 0546: AND THREW IT OUT INTO THE DARKNESS. 0547: ╘ANGLE HEARD THE FLAPPING OF ITS WINGS 0548: DIE AWAY IN THE DISTANCE. 0549: "╬OW HAVE WE DONE THE FISH ANY 0550: HARM?" SHE SAID, RETURNING. 0551: "╬O," ANSWERED ╘ANGLE, "╔ DO NOT 0552: THINK WE HAVE. ╔ SHOULD NOT MIND EATING 0553: ONE EVERY DAY." 0554: "╘HEY MUST WAIT THEIR TIME, LIKE 0555: YOU AND ME TOO, MY LITTLE ╘ANGLE." 0556: ┴ND SHE SMILED A SMILE WHICH THE 0557: SADNESS IN IT MADE MORE LOVELY. 0558: "┬UT," SHE CONTINUED, "╔ THINK WE 0559: MAY HAVE ONE FOR SUPPER TO-MORROW. 0560: ╙O SAYING SHE WENT TO THE DOOR OF 0561: THE TANK, AND SPOKE; AND NOW ╘ANGLE 0562: UNDERSTOOD HER PERFECTLY. 0563: "╔ WANT ONE OF YOU." SHE SAID, 0564: "THE WISEST." 0565: ╘HEREUPON THE FISHES GOT TOGETHER 0566: IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TANK, WITH THEIR 0567: HEADS FORMING A CIRCLE ABOVE THE WATER, 0568: AND THEIR TAILS A LARGER CIRCLE BENEATH 0569: IT. ╘HEY WERE HOLDING A COUNCIL, IN 0570: WHICH THEIR RELATIVE WISDOM SHOULD BE 0571: DETERMINED. ┴T LENGTH ONE OF THEM FLEW 0572: UP INTO THE LADY'S HAND, LOOKING LIVELY 0573: AND READY. 0574: "┘OU KNOW WHERE THE RAINBOW 0575: STANDS?" SHE ASKED. 0576: "┘ES, MOTHER, QUITE WELL," 0577: ANSWERED THE FISH. 0578: "┬RING HOME A YOUNG MAN YOU WILL 0579: FIND THERE, WHO DOES NOT KNOW WHERE TO 0580: GO." 0581: ╘HE FISH WAS OUT OF THE DOOR IN A 0582: MOMENT. ╘HEN THE LADY TOLD ╘ANGLE IT 0583: WAS TIME TO GO TO BED; AND, OPENING 0584: ANOTHER DOOR IN THE SIDE OF THE 0585: COTTAGE, SHOWED HER A LITTLE ARBOUR, 0586: COOL AND GREEN, WITH A BED OF PURPLE 0587: HEATH GROWING IN IT, UPON WHICH SHE 0588: THREW A LARGE WRAPPER MADE OF THE 0589: FEATHERED SKINS OF THE WISE FISHES, 0590: SHINING GORGEOUS IN THE FIRELIGHT. 0591: ╘ANGLE WAS SOON LOST IN THE STRANGEST, 0592: LOVELIEST DREAMS. ┴ND THE BEAUTIFUL 0593: LADY WAS IN EVERY ONE OF HER DREAMS. ├HAPTER ╓: ╘HE ┴RRIVAL OF ═OSSY 0594: ╔N THE MORNING SHE WOKE TO THE 0595: RUSTLING OF LEAVES OVER HER HEAD, AND 0596: THE SOUND OF RUNNING WATER. ┬UT, TO HER 0597: SURPRISE, SHE COULD FIND NO DOOR -- 0598: NOTHING BUT THE MOSS-GROWN WALL OF THE 0599: COTTAGE. ╙O SHE CREPT THROUGH AN 0600: OPENING IN THE ARBOUR, AND STOOD IN THE 0601: FOREST. ╘HEN SHE BATHED IN A STREAM 0602: THAT RAN MERRILY THROUGH THE TREES, AND 0603: FELT HAPPIER; FOR HAVING ONCE BEEN IN 0604: HER GRANDMOTHER'S POND, SHE MUST BE 0605: CLEAN AND TIDY EVER AFTER; AND, HAVING 0606: PUT ON HER GREEN DRESS, FELT LIKE A 0607: LADY. 0608: ╙HE SPENT THAT DAY IN THE WOOD, 0609: LISTENING TO THE BIRDS AND BEASTS AND 0610: CREEPING THINGS. ╙HE UNDERSTOOD ALL 0611: THAT THEY SAID, THOUGH SHE COULD NOT 0612: REPEAT A WORD OF IT; AND EVERY KIND HAD 0613: A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE, WHILE THERE WAS A 0614: COMMON THOUGH MORE LIMITED 0615: UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN ALL THE 0616: INHABITANTS OF THE FOREST. ╙HE SAW 0617: NOTHING OF THE BEAUTIFUL LADY, BUT SHE 0618: FELT THAT SHE WAS NEAR HER ALL THE 0619: TIME; AND SHE TOOK CARE NOT TO GO OUT 0620: OF SIGHT OF THE COTTAGE. ╔T WAS ROUND, 0621: LIKE A SNOW-HUT OR A WIG-WAM; AND SHE 0622: COULD SEE NEITHER DOOR NOR WINDOW IN 0623: IT. ╘HE FACT WAS, IT HAD NO WINDOWS; 0624: AND THOUGH IT WAS FULL OF DOORS, THEY 0625: ALL OPENED FROM THE INSIDE, AND COULD 0626: NOT EVEN BE SEEN FROM THE OUTSIDE. 0627: ╙HE WAS STANDING AT THE FOOT OF A 0628: TREE IN THE TWILIGHT, LISTENING TO A 0629: QUARREL BETWEEN A MOLE AND A SQUIRREL, 0630: IN WHICH THE MOLE TOLD THE SQUIRREL 0631: THAT THE TAIL WAS THE BEST OF HIM, AND 0632: THE SQUIRREL CALLED THE MOLE 0633: ╙PADE-FISTS, WHEN, THE DARKNESS HAVING 0634: DEEPENED AROUND HER, SHE BECAME AWARE 0635: OF SOMETHING SHINING IN HER FACE, AND 0636: LOOKING ROUND, SAW THAT THE DOOR OF THE 0637: COTTAGE WAS OPEN, AND THE RED LIGHT OF 0638: THE FIRE FLOWING FROM IT LIKE A RIVER 0639: THROUGH THE DARKNESS. ╙HE LEFT ═OLE AND 0640: ╙QUIRREL TO SETTLE MATTERS AS THEY 0641: MIGHT, AND DARTED OFF TO THE COTTAGE. 0642: ┼NTERING, SHE FOUND THE POT BOILING ON 0643: THE FIRE, AND THE GRAND, LOVELY LADY 0644: SITTING ON THE OTHER SIDE OF IT. 0645: "╔'VE BEEN WATCHING YOU ALL DAY," 0646: SAID THE LADY. "┘OU SHALL HAVE 0647: SOMETHING TO EAT BY-AND-BY, BUT WE MUST 0648: WAIT TILL OUR SUPPER COMES HOME." 0649: ╙HE TOOK ╘ANGLE ON HER KNEE, AND 0650: BEGAN TO SING TO HER -- SUCH SONGS AS 0651: MADE HER WISH SHE COULD LISTEN TO THEM 0652: FOR EVER. ┬UT AT LENGTH IN RUSHED THE 0653: SHINING FISH, AND SNUGGLED DOWN IN THE 0654: POT. ╔T WAS FOLLOWED BY A YOUTH WHO HAD 0655: OUTGROWN HIS WORN GARMENTS. ╚IS FACE 0656: WAS RUDDY WITH HEALTH, AND IN HIS HAND 0657: HE CARRIED A LITTLE JEWEL, WHICH 0658: SPARKLED IN THE FIRELIGHT. ╘HE FIRST 0659: WORDS THE LADY SAID WERE -- 0660: "╫HAT IS THAT IN YOUR HAND, ═OSSY?" 0661: ╬OW ═OSSY WAS THE NAME HIS 0662: COMPANIONS HAD GIVEN HIM, BECAUSE HE 0663: HAD A FAVOURITE STONE COVERED WITH 0664: MOSS, ON WHICH HE USED TO SIT WHOLE 0665: DAYS READING; AND THEY SAID THE MOSS 0666: HAD BEGUN TO GROW UPON HIM TOO. 0667: ═OSSY HELD OUT HIS HAND. ╘HE 0668: MOMENT THE LADY SAW THAT IT WAS THE 0669: GOLDEN KEY, SHE ROSE FROM HER CHAIR, 0670: KISSED ═OSSY ON THE FOREHEAD, MADE HIM 0671: SIT DOWN ON HER SEAT, AND STOOD BEFORE 0672: HIM LIKE A SERVANT. ═OSSY COULD NOT 0673: BEAR THIS, AND ROSE AT ONCE. ┬UT THE 0674: LADY BEGGED HIM, WITH TEARS IN HER 0675: BEAUTIFUL EYES, TO SIT, AND LET HER 0676: WAIT ON HIM. 0677: "┬UT YOU ARE A GREAT, SPLENDID, 0678: BEAUTIFUL LADY," SAID ═OSSY. 0679: "┘ES, ╔ AM. ┬UT ╔ WORK ALL DAY 0680: LONG -- THAT IS MY PLEASURE; AND YOU 0681: WILL HAVE TO LEAVE ME SO SOON!" 0682: "╚OW DO YOU KNOW THAT, IF YOU 0683: PLEASE, MADAM?" ASKED ═OSSY. 0684: "┬ECAUSE YOU HAVE GOT THE GOLDEN 0685: KEY." 0686: "┬UT ╔ DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS FOR. 0687: ╔ CAN'T FIND THE KEY-HOLE. ╫ILL YOU 0688: TELL ME WHAT TO DO?" 0689: "┘OU MUST LOOK FOR THE KEY-HOLE. 0690: ╘HAT IS YOUR WORK. ╔ CANNOT HELP YOU. ╔ 0691: CAN ONLY TELL YOU THAT IF YOU LOOK FOR 0692: IT YOU WILL FIND IT." 0693: "╫HAT KIND OF BOX WILL IT OPEN? 0694: ╫HAT IS THERE INSIDE?" 0695: "╔ DO NOT KNOW. ╔ DREAM ABOUT IT, 0696: BUT ╔ KNOW NOTHING." 0697: "═UST ╔ GO AT ONCE?" 0698: "┘OU MAY STOP HERE TO-NIGHT, AND 0699: HAVE SOME OF MY SUPPER. ┬UT YOU MUST GO 0700: IN THE MORNING. ┴LL ╔ CAN DO FOR YOU IS 0701: TO GIVE YOU CLOTHES. ╚ERE IS A GIRL 0702: CALLED ╘ANGLE, WHOM YOU MUST TAKE WITH 0703: YOU." 0704: "╘HAT WILL BE NICE," SAID ═OSSY. 0705: "╬O, NO!" SAID ╘ANGLE. "╔ DON'T 0706: WANT TO LEAVE YOU, PLEASE, 0707: GRANDMOTHER." 0708: "┘OU MUST GO WITH HIM, ╘ANGLE. ╔ 0709: AM SORRY TO LOSE YOU, BUT IT WILL THE 0710: BEST THING FOR YOU. ┼VEN THE FISHES, 0711: YOU SEE, HAVE TO GO INTO THE POT, AND 0712: THEN OUT INTO THE DARK. ╔F YOU FALL IN 0713: WITH THE ╧LD ═AN OF THE ╙EA, MIND YOU 0714: ASK HIM WHETHER HE HAS NOT GOT SOME 0715: MORE FISHES READY FOR ME. ═Y TANK IS 0716: GETTING THIN." 0717: ╙O SAYING, SHE TOOK THE FISH FROM 0718: THE POT, AND PUT THE LID ON AS BEFORE. 0719: ╘HEY SAT DOWN AND ATE THE FISH, AND 0720: THEN THE WINGED CREATURE ROSE FROM THE 0721: POT, CIRCLED THE ROOF, AND SETTLED ON 0722: THE LADY'S LAP. ╙HE TALKED TO IT, 0723: CARRIED IT TO THE DOOR, AND THREW IT 0724: OUT INTO THE DARK. ╘HEY HEARD THE FLAP 0725: OF ITS WINGS DIE AWAY IN THE DISTANCE. 0726: ╘HE LADY THEN SHOWED ═OSSY INTO 0727: JUST SUCH ANOTHER CHAMBER AS THAT OF 0728: ╘ANGLE; AND IN THE MORNING HE FOUND A 0729: SUIT OF CLOTHES LAID BESIDE HIM. ╚E 0730: LOOKED VERY HANDSOME IN THEM. ┬UT THE 0731: WEARER OF ╟RANDMOTHER'S CLOTHES NEVER 0732: THINKS ABOUT HOW HE OR SHE LOOKS, BUT 0733: THINKS ALWAYS HOW HANDSOME OTHER 0734: PEOPLE ARE. 0735: ╘ANGLE WAS VERY UNWILLING TO GO. 0736: "╫HY SHOULD ╔ LEAVE YOU? ╔ DON'T 0737: KNOW THE YOUNG MAN," SHE SAID TO THE 0738: LADY. 0739: "╔ AM NEVER ALLOWED TO KEEP MY 0740: CHILDREN LONG. ┘OU NEED NOT GO WITH HIM 0741: EXCEPT YOU PLEASE, BUT YOU MUST GO SOME 0742: DAY; AND ╔ SHOULD LIKE YOU TO GO WITH 0743: HIM, FOR HE HAS THE GOLDEN KEY. ╬O GIRL 0744: NEED BE AFRAID TO GO WITH A YOUTH THAT 0745: HAS THE GOLDEN KEY. ┘OU WILL TAKE CARE 0746: OF HER, ═OSSY, WILL YOU NOT?" 0747: "╘HAT ╔ WILL," SAID ═OSSY. 0748: ┴ND ╘ANGLE CAST A GLANCE AT HIM, 0749: AND THOUGHT SHE SHOULD LIKE TO GO WITH 0750: HIM. 0751: "┴ND," SAID THE LADY, "╔F YOU 0752: SHOULD LOSE EACH OTHER AS YOU GO 0753: THROUGH THE -- THE -- ╔ NEVER CAN 0754: REMEMBER THE NAME OF THAT COUNTRY -- DO 0755: NOT BE AFRAID, BUT GO ON AND ON." 0756: ╙HE KISSED ╘ANGLE ON THE MOUTH AND 0757: ═OSSY ON THE FOREHEAD, LED THEM TO THE 0758: DOOR, AND WAVED HER HAND EASTWARD. 0759: ═OSSY AND ╘ANGLE TOOK EACH OTHER'S HAND 0760: AND WALKED AWAY INTO THE DEPTH OF THE 0761: FOREST. ╔N HIS RIGHT HAND ═OSSY HELD 0762: THE GOLDEN KEY. ├HAPTER ╓╔: ┴ ╙EA OF ╙HADOWS 0763: ╘HEY WANDERED THUS A LONG WAY, 0764: WITH ENDLESS AMUSEMENT FROM THE TALK 0765: OF THE ANIMALS. ╘HEY SOON LEARNED 0766: ENOUGH OF THEIR LANGUAGE TO ASK THEM 0767: NECESSARY QUESTIONS. ╘HE SQUIRRELS 0768: WERE ALWAYS FRIENDLY, AND GAVE THEM 0769: NUTS OUT OF THEIR OWN HOARDS; BUT 0770: THE BEES WERE SELFISH AND RUDE, 0771: JUSTIFYING THEMSELVES ON THE GROUND 0772: THAT ╘ANGLE AND ═OSSY WERE NOT 0773: SUBJECTS OF THEIR QUEEN, AND CHARITY 0774: MUST BEGIN AT HOME, THOUGH INDEED 0775: THEY HAD NOT ONE DRONE IN THEIR 0776: POORHOUSE AT THE TIME. ┼VEN THE 0777: BLINKING MOLES WOULD FETCH THEM AN 0778: EARTH-NUT OR A TRUFFLE NOW AND THEN, 0779: TALKING AS IF THEIR MOUTHS, AS WELL 0780: AS THEIR EYES AND EARS, WERE FULL 0781: OF COTTON WOOL, OR THEIR OWN VELVETY 0782: FUR. ┬Y THE TIME THEY GOT OUT OF THE 0783: FOREST THEY WERE VERY FOND OF EACH 0784: OTHER, AND ╘ANGLE WAS NOT IN THE 0785: LEAST SORRY THAT HER GRANDMOTHER 0786: HAD SENT HER AWAY WITH ═OSSY. 0787: ┴T LENGTH THE TREES GREW SMALLER, 0788: AND STOOD FARTHER APART, AND THE GROUND 0789: BEGAN TO RISE, AND IT GOT MORE AND MORE 0790: STEEP, TILL THE TREES WERE ALL LEFT 0791: BEHIND, AND THE TWO WERE CLIMBING A 0792: NARROW PATH WITH ROCKS ON EACH SIDE. 0793: ╙UDDENLY THEY CAME UPON A RUDE DOORWAY, 0794: BY WHICH THEY ENTERED A NARROW GALLERY 0795: CUT IN THE ROCK. ╔T GREW DARKER AND 0796: DARKER, TILL IT WAS PITCH DARK, AND 0797: THEY HAD TO FEEL THEIR WAY. ┴T LENGTH 0798: THE LIGHT BEGAN TO RETURN, AND AT LAST 0799: THEY CAME OUT UPON A NARROW PATH ON THE 0800: FACE OF A LOFTY PRECIPICE. ╘HIS PATH 0801: WENT WINDING DOWN THE ROCK TO A WIDE 0802: PLAIN, CIRCULAR IN SHAPE, AND 0803: SURROUNDED ON ALL SIDES BY MOUNTAINS. 0804: ╘HOSE OPPOSITE TO THEM WERE A GREAT 0805: WAY OFF, AND TOWERED TO AN AWFUL 0806: HEIGHT, SHOOTING UP SHARP, BLUE, 0807: ICE-ENAMELED PINNACLES. ┴N UTTER 0808: SILENCE REIGNED WHERE THEY STOOD. ╬OT 0809: EVEN THE SOUND OF WATER REACHED THEM. 0810: ╠OOKING DOWN, THEY COULD NOT TELL 0811: WHETHER THE VALLEY BELOW WAS A GRASSY 0812: PLAIN OR A GREAT STILL LAKE. ╘HEY HAD 0813: NEVER SEEN ANY PLACE LOOK LIKE IT. ╘HE 0814: WAY TO IT WAS DIFFICULT AND DANGEROUS, 0815: BUT DOWN THE NARROW PATH THEY WENT, AND 0816: REACHED THE BOTTOM IN SAFETY. ╘HEY 0817: FOUND IT COMPOSED OF SMOOTH, 0818: LIGHT-COLOURED SANDSTONE, UNDULATING 0819: IN PARTS, BUT MOSTLY LEVEL. ╔T WAS NO 0820: WONDER TO THEM NOW THAT THEY HAD NOT 0821: BEEN ABLE TO TELL WHAT IT WAS, FOR THIS 0822: SURFACE WAS EVERYWHERECROWDED WITH 0823: SHADOWS. ╔T WAS A SEA OF SHADOWS. ╘HE 0824: MASS WAS CHIEFLY MADE UP OF THE SHADOWS 0825: OF LEAVES INNUMERABLE, OF ALL LOVELY 0826: AND IMAGINATIVE FORMS, WAVING TO AND 0827: FRO, FLOATING AND QUIVERING IN THE 0828: BREATH OF A BREEZE WHOSE MOTION WAS 0829: UNFELT, WHOSE SOUND WAS UNHEARD. ╬O 0830: FORESTS CLOTHED THE MOUNTAIN-SIDES, NO 0831: TREES WERE ANYWHERE TO BE SEEN, AND YET 0832: THE SHADOWS OF THE LEAVES, BRANCHES, 0833: AND STEMS OF ALL VARIOUS TREES COVERED 0834: THE VALLEY AS FAR AS THEIR EYES COULD 0835: REACH. 0836: ╘HEY SOON SPIED THE SHADOWS OF 0837: FLOWERS MINGLED WITH THOSE OF THE 0838: LEAVES, AND NOW AND THEN THE SHADOW 0839: OF A BIRD WITH OPEN BEAK, AND THROAT 0840: DISTENDED WITH SONG. ┴T TIMES WOULD 0841: APPEAR THE FORMS OF STRANGE, GRACEFUL 0842: CREATURES, RUNNING UP AND DOWN THE 0843: SHADOW-BOLES AND ALONG THE BRANCHES, 0844: TO DISAPPEAR IN THE WIND-TOSSED 0845: FOLIAGE. ┴S THEY WALKED THEY WADED 0846: KNEE-DEEP IN THE LOVELY LAKE. ╞OR 0847: THE SHADOWS WERE NOT MERELY LYING 0848: ON THE SURFACE OF THE GROUND, BUT 0849: HEAPED UP ABOVE IT LIKE SUBSTANTIAL 0850: FORMS OF DARKNESS, AS IF THEY HAD 0851: BEEN CAST UPON A THOUSAND DIFFERENT 0852: PLANES OF THE AIR. ╘ANGLE AND ═OSSY 0853: OFTEN LIFTED THEIR HEADS AND GAZED 0854: UPWARDS TO DESCRY WHENCE THE SHADOWS 0855: CAME; BUT THEY COULD SEE NOTHING 0856: MORE THAN A BRIGHT MIST SPREAD ABOVE 0857: THEM, HIGHER THAN THE TOPS OF THE 0858: MOUNTAINS, WHICH STOOD CLEAR AGAINST 0859: IT. ╬O FORESTS, NO LEAVES, NO BIRDS 0860: WERE VISIBLE. 0861: ┴FTER A WHILE, THEY REACHED MORE 0862: OPEN SPACES, WHERE THE SHADOWS WERE 0863: THINNER; AND CAME EVEN TO PORTIONS 0864: OVER WHICH SHADOWS ONLY FLITTED, 0865: LEAVING THEM CLEAR FOR SUCH AS MIGHT 0866: FOLLOW. ╬OW A WONDERFUL FORM, HALF 0867: BIRD-LIKE HALF HUMAN, WOULD FLOAT 0868: ACROSS ON OUTSPREAD SAILING PINIONS. 0869: ┴NON AN EXQUISITE SHADOW GROUP OF 0870: GAMBOLING CHILDREN WOULD BE FOLLOWED 0871: BY THE LOVELIEST FEMALE FORM, AND THAT 0872: AGAIN BY THE GRAND STRIDE OF A ╘ITANIC 0873: SHAPE, EACH DISAPPEARING IN THE 0874: SURROUNDING PRESS OF SHADOWY FOLIAGE. 0875: ╙OMETIMES A PROFILE OF UNSPEAKABLE 0876: BEAUTY OR GRANDEUR WOULD APPEAR FOR 0877: A MOMENT AND VANISH. ╙OMETIMES THEY 0878: SEEMED LOVERS THAT PASSED LINKED ARM 0879: IN ARM, SOMETIMES FATHER AND SON, 0880: SOMETIMES BROTHERS IN LOVING CONTEST, 0881: SOMETIMES SISTERS ENTWINED IN 0882: GRACEFULLEST COMMUNITY OF COMPLEX 0883: FORM. ╙OMETIMES WILD HORSES WOULD 0884: TEAR ACROSS, FREE, OR BESTRODE 0885: BY NOBLE SHADOWS OF RULING MEN. ┬UT 0886: SOME OF THE THINGS WHICH PLEASED THEM 0887: MOST THEY NEVER KNEW HOW TO DESCRIBE. 0888: ┴BOUT THE MIDDLE OF THE PLAIN 0889: THEY SAT DOWN TO REST IN THE HEART OF 0890: A HEAP OF SHADOWS. ┴FTER SITTING FOR A 0891: WHILE, EACH, LOOKING UP, SAW THE OTHER 0892: IN TEARS: THEY WERE EACH LONGING AFTER 0893: THE COUNTRY WHENCE THE SHADOWS FELL. 0894: "╫E MUST FIND THE COUNTRY FROM 0895: WHICH THE SHADOWS COME," SAID ═OSSY. 0896: "╫E MUST, DEAR ═OSSY," RESPONDED 0897: ╘ANGLE. "╫HAT IF YOUR GOLDEN KEY 0898: SHOULD BE THE KEY TO IT?" 0899: "┴H! ╘HAT WOULD BE GRAND," 0900: RETURNED ═OSSY. "┬UT WE MUST REST HERE 0901: FOR A LITTLE, AND THEN WE SHALL BE 0902: ABLE TO CROSS THE PLAIN BEFORE NIGHT." 0903: ╙O HE LAY DOWN ON THE GROUND, AND 0904: ABOUT HIM ON EVERY SIDE, AND OVER HIS 0905: HEAD, WAS THE CONSTANT PLAY OF THE 0906: WONDERFUL SHADOWS. ╚E COULD LOOK 0907: THROUGH THEM, AND SEE THE ONE BEHIND 0908: THE OTHER, TILL THEY MIXED IN A MASS 0909: OF DARKNESS. ╘ANGLE, TOO, LAY ADMIRING, 0910: AND WONDERING, AND LONGING AFTER THE 0911: COUNTRY WHENCE THE SHADOWS CAME. ├HAPTER ╓╔╔: ╘HE ╧LD ═AN OF THE ╙EA 0912: ╫HEN THEY WERE RESTED THEY ROSE 0913: AND PURSUED THEIR JOURNEY. ╚OW LONG 0914: THEY WERE IN CROSSING THIS PLAIN ╔ 0915: CANNOT TELL; BUT BEFORE NIGHT ═OSSY'S 0916: HAIR WAS STREAKED WITH GREY, AND 0917: ╘ANGLE HAD GOT WRINKLES ON HER 0918: FOREHEAD. 0919: ┴S EVENING DREW ON, THE SHADOWS 0920: FELL DEEPER AND ROSE HIGHER. ┴T LENGTH 0921: THEY REACHED A PLACE WHERE THEY ROSE 0922: ABOVE THEIR HEADS, AND MADE ALL DARK 0923: AROUND THEM. ╘HEN THEY TOOK HOLD OF 0924: EACH OTHER'S HAND, AND WALKED ON IN 0925: SILENCE AND IN SOME DISMAY. ╘HEY FELT 0926: THE GATHERING DARKNESS, AND SOMETHING 0927: STRANGELY SOLEMN BESIDES, AND THE 0928: BEAUTY OF THE SHADOWS CEASED TO 0929: DELIGHT THEM. ┴LL AT ONCE ╘ANGLE 0930: FOUND THAT SHE HAD NOT A HOLD OF 0931: ═OSSY'S HAND, THOUGH WHEN SHE LOST 0932: IT SHE COULD NOT TELL. 0933: "═OSSY, ═OSSY!" SHE CRIED ALOUD 0934: IN TERROR. 0935: ┬UT NO ═OSSY REPLIED. ┴ MOMENT 0936: AFTER, THE SHADOWS SANK TO HER FEET, 0937: AND DOWN UNDER HER FEET, AND THE 0938: MOUNTAINS ROSE BEFORE HER. ╙HE TURNED 0939: TOWARDS THE GLOOMY REGION SHE HAD LEFT, 0940: AND CALLED ONCE MORE UPON ═OSSY. ╘HERE 0941: THE GLOOM LAY TOSSING AND HEAVING, A 0942: DARK STORMY, FOAMLESS SEA OF SHADOWS, 0943: BUT NO ═OSSY ROSE OUT OF IT, OR CAME 0944: CLIMBING UP THE HILL ON WHICH SHE 0945: STOOD. ╙HE THREW HERSELF DOWN AND 0946: WEPT IN DESPAIR. 0947: ╙UDDENLY SHE REMEMBERED THAT THE 0948: BEAUTIFUL LADY HAD TOLD THEM, IF THEY 0949: LOST EACH OTHER IN A COUNTRY OF WHICH 0950: SHE COULD NOT REMEMBER THE NAME, THEY 0951: WERE NOT TO BE AFRAID, BUT TO GO 0952: STRAIGHT ON. 0953: "┴ND BESIDES," SHE SAID TO 0954: HERSELF, "═OSSY HAS THE GOLDEN KEY, 0955: AND SO NO HARM WILL COME TO HIM, ╔ DO 0956: BELIEVE." 0957: ╙HE ROSE FROM THE GROUND, AND 0958: WENT ON. ┬EFORE LONG SHE ARRIVED AT A 0959: PRECIPICE, IN THE FACE OF WHICH A STAIR 0960: WAS CUT. ╫HEN SHE HAD ASCENDED HALFWAY, 0961: THE STAIR CEASED, AND THE PATH LED 0962: STRAIGHT INTO THE MOUNTAIN. ╙HE WAS 0963: AFRAID TO ENTER, AND TURNING AGAIN 0964: TOWARDS THE STAIR, GREW GIDDY AT SIGHT 0965: OF THE DEPTH BENEATH HER, AND WAS 0966: FORCED TO THROW HERSELF DOWN IN THE 0967: MOUTH OF THE CAVE. 0968: ╫HEN SHE OPENED HER EYES, SHE SAW 0969: A BEAUTIFUL LITTLE CREATURE WITH WINGS 0970: STANDING BESIDE HER, WAITING. 0971: "╔ KNOW YOU," SAID ╘ANGLE. "┘OU 0972: ARE MY FISH." 0973: "┘ES. ┬UT ╔ AM A FISH NO LONGER. ╔ 0974: AM AN AERANTH NOW." 0975: "╫HAT IS THAT?" ASKED ╘ANGLE. 0976: "╫HAT YOU SEE ╔ AM," ANSWERED THE 0977: SHAPE. "┴ND ╔ AM COME TO LEAD YOU 0978: THROUGH THE MOUNTAIN." 0979: "╧H! ╘HANK YOU, DEAR FISH -- 0980: AERANTH, ╔ MEAN," RETURNED ╘ANGLE, 0981: RISING. 0982: ╘HEREUPON THE AERANTH TOOK TO HIS 0983: WINGS, AND FLEW ON THROUGH THE LONG, 0984: NARROW PASSAGE, REMINDING ╘ANGLE VERY 0985: MUCH OF THE WAY HE HAD SWUM ON BEFORE 0986: HER WHEN HE WAS A FISH. ┴ND THE MOMENT 0987: HIS WHITE WINGS MOVED, THEY BEGAN TO 0988: THROW OFF A CONTINUOUS SHOWER OF 0989: SPARKS OF ALL COLOURS, WHICH LIGHTED 0990: UP THE PASSAGE BEFORE THEM. ┴LL AT 0991: ONCE HE VANISHED, AND ╘ANGLE HEARD 0992: A LOW, SWEET SOUND, QUITE DIFFERENT 0993: FROM THE RUSH AND CRACKLE OF HIS 0994: WINGS. ┬EFORE HER WAS AN OPEN ARCH, 0995: AND THROUGH IT CAME LIGHT, MIXED WITH 0996: THE SOUND OF SEA-WAVES. 0997: ╙HE HURRIED OUT, AND FELL, TIRED 0998: AND HAPPY, UPON THE YELLOW SAND OF THE 0999: SHORE. ╘HERE SHE LAY, HALF ASLEEP WITH 1000: WEARINESS AND REST, LISTENING TO THE 1001: LOW PLASH AND RETREAT OF THE TINY 1002: WAVES, WHICH SEEMED EVER ENTICING 1003: THE LAND TO LEAVE OFF BEING LAND, 1004: AND BECOME SEA. ┴ND AS SHE LAY, HER 1005: EYES WERE FIXED UPON THE FOOT OF A 1006: GREAT RAINBOW STANDING FAR AWAY 1007: AGAINST THE SKY ON THE OTHER SIDE OF 1008: THE SEA. ┴T LENGTH SHE FELL FAST 1009: ASLEEP. 1010: ╫HEN SHE AWOKE, SHE SAW AN OLD 1011: MAN WITH LONG WHITE HAIR DOWN TO HIS 1012: SHOULDERS, LEANING UPON A STICK 1013: COVERED WITH GREEN BUDS, AND SO 1014: BENDING OVER HER. 1015: "╫HAT DO YOU WANT HERE, BEAUTIFUL 1016: WOMAN?" HE SAID. 1017: "┴M ╔ BEAUTIFUL? ╔ AM SO GLAD!" 1018: ANSWERED ╘ANGLE, RISING. "═Y 1019: GRANDMOTHER IS BEAUTIFUL." 1020: "┘ES. ┬UT WHAT DO YOU WANT?" HE 1021: REPEATED, KINDLY. 1022: "╔ THINK ╔ WANT YOU. ┴RE NOT YOU 1023: THE ╧LD ═AN OF THE ╙EA?" 1024: "╔ AM." 1025: "╘HEN GRANDMOTHER SAYS, HAVE YOU 1026: ANY MORE FISHES READY FOR HER?" 1027: "╫E WILL GO AND SEE, MY DEAR," 1028: ANSWERED THE OLD MAN, SPEAKING YET 1029: MORE KINDLY THAN BEFORE. "┴ND ╔ CAN 1030: DO SOMETHING FOR YOU, CAN ╔ NOT?" 1031: "┘ES -- SHOW ME THE WAY UP TO 1032: THE COUNTRY FROM WHICH THE SHADOWS 1033: FALL," SAID ╘ANGLE. ╞OR THERE SHE 1034: HOPED TO FIND ═OSSY AGAIN. 1035: "┴H! INDEED, THAT WOULD BE 1036: WORTH DOING," SAID THE OLD MAN. 1037: "┬UT ╔ CANNOT, FOR ╔ DO NOT KNOW 1038: THE WAY MYSELF. ┬UT ╔ WILL SEND YOU 1039: TO THE 1040: ╧LD ═AN OF THE ┼ARTH. ╨ERHAPS HE CAN 1041: TELL YOU. ╚E IS MUCH OLDER THAN ╔ AM." 1042: ╠EANING ON HIS STAFF, HE CONDUCTED 1043: HER ALONG THE SHORE TO A STEEP ROCK, 1044: THAT LOOKED LIKE A PETRIFIED SHIP 1045: TURNED UPSIDE DOWN. ╘HE DOOR OF IT WAS 1046: THE RUDDER OF A GREAT VESSEL, AGES AGO 1047: AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA. ╔MMEDIATELY 1048: WITHIN THE DOOR WAS A STAIR IN THE 1049: ROCK, DOWN WHICH THE OLD MAN WENT, 1050: AND ╘ANGLE FOLLOWED. ┴T THE BOTTOM, 1051: THE OLD MAN HAD HIS HOUSE, AND THERE 1052: HE LIVED. 1053: ┴S SOON AS SHE ENTERED IT, 1054: ╘ANGLE HEARD A STRANGE NOISE, UNLIKE 1055: ANYTHING SHE HAD EVER HEARD BEFORE. 1056: ╙HE SOON FOUND THAT IT WAS THE FISHES 1057: TALKING. ╙HE TRIED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT 1058: THEY SAID; BUT THEIR SPEECH WAS SO 1059: OLD-FASHIONED, AND RUDE, AND 1060: UNDEFINED, THAT SHE COULD NOT MAKE 1061: MUCH OF IT. 1062: "╔ WILL GO AND SEE ABOUT THOSE 1063: FISHES FOR MY DAUGHTER," SAID THE ╧LD 1064: ═AN OF THE ╙EA. ┴ND MOVING A SLIDE 1065: IN THE WALL OF HIS HOUSE, HE FIRST 1066: LOOKED OUT, AND THEN TAPPED UPON A 1067: THICK PIECE OF CRYSTAL THAT FILLED 1068: THE ROUND OPENING. ╘ANGLE CAME UP 1069: BEHIND HIM, AND PEEPING THROUGH THE 1070: WINDOW INTO THE HEART OF THE GREAT 1071: DEEP GREEN OCEAN, SAW THE MOST CURIOUS 1072: CREATURES, SOME VERY UGLY, ALL VERY 1073: ODD, AND WITH ESPECIALLY QUEER MOUTHS, 1074: SWIMMING ABOUT EVERYWHERE, ABOVE AND 1075: BELOW, BUT ALL COMING TOWARDS THE 1076: WINDOW IN ANSWER TO THE TAP OF THE 1077: ╧LD ═AN OF THE ╙EA. ╧NLY A FEW COULD 1078: GET THEIR MOUTHS AGAINST THE GLASS; 1079: BUT THOSE WHO WERE FLOATING MILES 1080: AWAY YET TURNED THEIR HEADS TOWARDS 1081: IT. ╘HE ╧LD ═AN LOOKED THROUGH THE 1082: WHOLE FLOCK CAREFULLY FOR SOME 1083: MINUTES, AND THEN TURNING TO ╘ANGLE, 1084: SAID, 1085: "╔ AM SORRY ╔ HAVE NOT GOT ONE 1086: READY YET. ╔ WANT MORE TIME THAN SHE 1087: DOES. ┬UT ╔ WILL SEND SOME AS SOON AS 1088: ╔ CAN." 1089: ╚E THEN SHUT THE SLIDE. ╨RESENTLY 1090: A GREAT NOISE AROSE IN THE SEA. ╘HE 1091: OLD MAN OPENED THE SLIDE AGAIN, AND 1092: TAPPED ON THE GLASS, WHEREUPON THE 1093: FISHES WERE ALL AS STILL AS SLEEP. 1094: "╘HEY WERE ONLY TALKING ABOUT 1095: YOU," HE SAID. "┴ND THEY DO SPEAK SUCH 1096: NONSENSE! -- ╘O-MORROW," HE CONTINUED, 1097: "╔ MUST SHOW YOU THE WAY TO THE ╧LD 1098: ═AN OF THE ┼ARTH. ╚E LIVES A LONG WAY 1099: FROM HERE." 1100: "─O LET ME GO AT ONCE," SAID 1101: ╘ANGLE. 1102: "╬O. ╘HAT IS NOT POSSIBLE. ┘OU 1103: MUST COME THIS WAY FIRST." 1104: ╚E LED HER TO A HOLE IN THE WALL, 1105: WHICH SHE HAD NOT OBSERVED BEFORE. ╔T 1106: WAS COVERED WITH THE GREEN LEAVES AND 1107: WHITE BLOSSOMS OF A CREEPING PLANT. 1108: "╧NLY WHITE-BLOSSOMING PLANTS 1109: CAN GROW UNDER THE SEA," SAID THE OLD 1110: MAN. "╔N THERE YOU WILL FIND A BATH, 1111: IN WHICH YOU MUST LIE TILL ╔ CALL YOU." 1112: ╘ANGLE WENT IN, AND FOUND A 1113: SMALLER ROOM OR CAVE, IN THE FURTHER 1114: CORNER OF WHICH WAS A GREAT BASIN 1115: HOLLOWED OUT OF A ROCK, AND HALF 1116: FULL OF THE CLEAREST SEA-WATER. 1117: ╠ITTLE STREAMS WERE CONSTANTLY 1118: RUNNING INTO IT FROM CRACKS IN THE 1119: WALL OF THE CAVERN. ╔T WAS POLISHED 1120: QUITE SMOOTH INSIDE, AND HAD A CARPET 1121: OF YELLOW SAND IN THE BOTTOM OF IT. 1122: ╠ARGE GREEN LEAVES AND WHITE FLOWERS 1123: OF VARIOUS PLANTS CROWDED UP AND 1124: OVER IT, DRAPING AND COVERING IT 1125: ALMOST ENTIRELY. ╬O SOONER WAS SHE 1126: UNDRESSED AND LYING IN THE BATH, 1127: THAN SHE BEGAN TO FEEL AS IF THE WATER 1128: WERE SINKING INTO HER, AND SHE WAS 1129: RECEIVING ALL THE GOOD OF SLEEP 1130: WITHOUT UNDERGOING ITS FORGETFULNESS. 1131: ╙HE FELT THE GOOD COMING ALL THE TIME. 1132: ┴ND SHE GREW HAPPIER AND MORE HOPEFUL 1133: THAN SHE HAD BEEN SINCE SHE LOST ═OSSY. 1134: ┬UT SHE COULD NOT HELP THINKING HOW 1135: VERY SAD IT WAS FOR A POOR OLD MAN TO 1136: LIVE THERE ALL ALONE, AND HAVE TO TAKE 1137: CARE OF A WHOLE SEAFUL OF STUPID AND 1138: RIOTOUS FISHES. 1139: ┴FTER ABOUT AN HOUR, AS SHE 1140: THOUGHT, SHE HEARD HIS VOICE CALLING 1141: HER, AND ROSE OUT OF THE BATH. ┴LL 1142: THE FATIGUE AND ACHING OF HER LONG 1143: JOURNEY HAD VANISHED. ╙HE WAS AS 1144: WHOLE, AND STRONG, AND WELL AS IF 1145: SHE HAD SLEPT FOR SEVEN DAYS. 1146: ╥ETURNING TO THE OPENING THAT LED 1147: INTO THE OTHER PART OF THE HOUSE, 1148: SHE STARTED BACK WITH AMAZEMENT, FOR 1149: THROUGH IT SHE SAW THE FORM OF A 1150: GRAND MAN, WITH A MAJESTIC AND 1151: BEAUTIFUL FACE, WAITING FOR HER. 1152: "├OME," HE SAID; "╔ SEE YOU 1153: ARE READY." 1154: ╙HE ENTERED WITH REVERENCE. 1155: "╫HERE IS THE ╧LD ═AN OF THE ╙EA?" 1156: SHE ASKED, HUMBLY. 1157: "╘HERE IS NO ONE HERE BUT ME," 1158: HE ANSWERED, SMILING. "╙OME PEOPLE 1159: CALL ME THE ╧LD ═AN OF THE ╙EA. 1160: ╧THERS HAVE ANOTHER NAME FOR ME, AND 1161: ARE TERRIBLY FRIGHTENED WHEN THEY 1162: MEET ME TAKING A WALK BY THE SHORE. 1163: ╘HEREFORE ╔ AVOID BEING SEEN BY THEM, 1164: FOR THEY ARE SO AFRAID, THAT THEY NEVER 1165: SEE WHAT ╔ REALLY AM. ┘OU SEE ME NOW. 1166: ┬UT ╔ MUST SHOW YOU THE WAY TO THE ╧LD 1167: ═AN OF THE ┼ARTH." 1168: ╚E LED HER INTO THE CAVE WHERE THE 1169: BATH WAS, AND THERE SHE SAW, IN THE 1170: OPPOSITE CORNER, A SECOND OPENING IN 1171: THE ROCK. "╟O DOWN THAT STAIR, AND IT 1172: WILL BRING YOU TO HIM," SAID THE ╧LD 1173: ═AN OF THE ╙EA. 1174: ╫ITH HUMBLE THANKS ╘ANGLE TOOK 1175: HER LEAVE. ├HAPTER ╓╔╔╔: ╘HE ╧LD ═AN OF THE ┼ARTH 1176: ╙HE WENT DOWN THE WINDING-STAIR, 1177: TILL SHE BEGAN TO FEAR THERE WAS NO END 1178: TO IT. ╙TILL DOWN AND DOWN IT WENT, 1179: ROUGH AND BROKEN, WITH SPRINGS OF WATER 1180: BURSTING OUT OF THE ROCKS AND RUNNING 1181: DOWN THE STEPS BESIDE HER. ╔T WAS QUITE 1182: DARK ABOUT HER, AND YET SHE COULD SEE. 1183: ╞OR AFTER BEING IN THAT BATH, PEOPLE'S 1184: EYES ALWAYS GIVE OUT A LIGHT THEY CAN 1185: SEE BY. ╘HERE WERE NO CREEPING THINGS 1186: IN THE WAY. ┴LL WAS SAFE AND PLEASANT 1187: THOUGH SO DARK AND DAMP AND DEEP. 1188: ┴T LAST THERE WAS NOT ONE STEP 1189: MORE, AND SHE FOUND HERSELF IN A 1190: GLIMMERING CAVE. ╧N A STONE IN 1191: THE MIDDLE OF IT SAT A FIGURE WITH 1192: ITS BACK TOWARDS HER -- THE FIGURE OF 1193: AN OLD MAN BENT DOUBLE WITH AGE. ╞ROM 1194: BEHIND SHE COULD SEE HIS WHITE BEARD 1195: SPREAD OUT ON THE ROCKY FLOOR IN FRONT 1196: OF HIM. ╚E DID NOT MOVE AS SHE ENTERED, 1197: SO SHE PASSED ROUND THAT SHE MIGHT 1198: STAND BEFORE HIM AND SPEAK TO HIM. ╘HE 1199: MOMENT SHE LOOKED IN HIS FACE, SHE SAW 1200: THAT HE WAS A YOUTH OF MARVELLOUS 1201: BEAUTY. ╚E SAT ENTRANCED WITH THE 1202: DELIGHT OF WHAT HE BEHELD IN A MIRROR 1203: OF SOMETHING LIKE SILVER, WHICH LAY 1204: ON THE FLOOR AT HIS FEET, AND WHICH 1205: FROM BEHIND SHE HAD TAKEN FOR HIS 1206: WHITE BEARD. ╚E SAT ON, HEEDLESS OF 1207: HER PRESENCE, PALE WITH THE JOY OF 1208: HIS VISION. ╙HE STOOD AND WATCHED HIM. 1209: ┴T LENGTH, ALL TREMBLING, SHE SPOKE. 1210: ┬UT HER VOICE MADE NO SOUND. ┘ET THE 1211: YOUTH LIFTED UP HIS HEAD. ╚E SHOWED 1212: NO SURPRISE, HOWEVER, AT SEEING HER -- 1213: ONLY SMILED A WELCOME. 1214: "┴RE YOU THE ╧LD ═AN OF THE 1215: ┼ARTH?" ╘ANGLE HAD SAID. 1216: ┴ND THE YOUTH ANSWERED, AND 1217: ╘ANGLE HEARD HIM, THOUGH NOT WITH HER 1218: EARS: "╔ AM. ╫HAT CAN ╔ DO FOR YOU?" 1219: "╘ELL ME THE WAY TO THE COUNTRY 1220: WHENCE THE SHADOWS FALL." 1221: "┴H! ╘HAT ╔ DO NOT KNOW. ╔ ONLY 1222: DREAM ABOUT IT MYSELF. ╔ SEE ITS 1223: SHADOWS SOMETIMES IN MY MIRROR: THE 1224: WAY TO IT ╔ DO NOT KNOW. ┬UT ╔ THINK 1225: THE ╧LD ═AN OF THE ╞IRE MUST KNOW. 1226: ╚E IS MUCH OLDER THAN ╔ AM. ╚E IS 1227: THE OLDEST MAN OF ALL." 1228: "╫HERE DOES HE LIVE?" 1229: "╔ WILL SHOW YOU THE WAY TO HIS 1230: PLACE. ╔ NEVER SAW HIM MYSELF." 1231: ╙O SAYING, THE YOUNG MAN ROSE, 1232: AND THEN STOOD FOR A WHILE GAZING AT 1233: ╘ANGLE. 1234: "╔ WISH ╔ COULD SEE THAT COUNTRY 1235: TOO," HE SAID. "┬UT ╔ MUST MIND MY 1236: WORK." 1237: ╚E LED HER TO THE SIDE OF THE 1238: CAVE, AND TOLD HER TO LAY HER EAR 1239: AGAINST THE WALL. 1240: "╫HAT DO YOU HEAR?" HE ASKED. 1241: "╔ HEAR," ANSWERED ╘ANGLE, "THE 1242: SOUND OF A GREAT WATER RUNNING INSIDE 1243: THE ROCK." 1244: "╘HAT RIVER RUNS DOWN TO THE 1245: DWELLING OF THE OLDEST MAN OF ALL -- 1246: THE ╧LD ═AN OF THE ╞IRE. ╔ WISH ╔ COULD 1247: GO TO SEE HIM. ┬UT ╔ MUST MIND MY WORK. 1248: ╘HAT RIVER IS THE ONLY WAY TO HIM." 1249: ╘HEN THE ╧LD ═AN OF THE ┼ARTH 1250: STOOPED OVER THE FLOOR OF THE CAVE, 1251: RAISED A HUGE STONE FROM IT, AND LEFT 1252: IT LEANING. ╔T DISCLOSED A GREAT HOLE 1253: THAT WENT PLUMB-DOWN. 1254: "╘HAT IS THE WAY," HE SAID. 1255: "┬UT THERE ARE NO STAIRS." 1256: "┘OU MUST THROW YOURSELF IN. 1257: ╘HERE IS NO OTHER WAY." 1258: ╙HE TURNED AND LOOKED HIM FULL 1259: IN THE FACE -- STOOD SO FOR A WHOLE 1260: MINUTE, AS SHE THOUGHT: IT WAS A 1261: WHOLE YEAR -- THEN THREW HERSELF 1262: HEADLONG INTO THE HOLE. ├HAPTER ╔╪: ╘HE ╧LD ═AN OF THE ╞IRE 1263: ╫HEN SHE CAME TO HERSELF, SHE 1264: FOUND HERSELF GLIDING DOWN FAST AND 1265: DEEP. ╚ER HEAD WAS UNDER WATER, BUT 1266: THAT DID NOT SIGNIFY, FOR WHEN SHE 1267: THOUGHT ABOUT IT, SHE COULD NOT 1268: REMEMBER THAT SHE HAD BREATHED ONCE 1269: SINCE HER BATH IN THE CAVE OF THE ╧LD 1270: ═AN OF THE ╙EA. ╫HEN SHE LIFTED UP HER 1271: HEAD A SUDDEN AND FIERCE HEAT STRUCK 1272: HER, AND SHE SANK IT AGAIN INSTANTLY, 1273: AND WENT SWEEPING ON. 1274: ╟RADUALLY THE STREAM GREW 1275: SHALLOWER. ┴T LENGTH SHE COULD HARDLY 1276: KEEP HER HEAD UNDER. ╘HEN THE WATER 1277: COULD CARRY HER NO FARTHER. ╙HE ROSE 1278: FROM THE CHANNEL, AND WENT STEP FOR 1279: STEP DOWN THE BURNING DESCENT. ╘HE 1280: WATER CEASED ALTOGETHER. ╘HE HEAT 1281: WAS TERRIBLE. ╙HE FELT SCORCHED TO 1282: THE BONE, BUT IT DID NOT TOUCH HER 1283: STRENGTH. ╔T GREW HOTTER AND HOTTER. 1284: ╙HE SAID, "╔ CAN BEAR IT NO LONGER." 1285: ┘ET SHE WENT ON. 1286: ┴T THE LONG LAST, THE STAIR ENDED 1287: AT A RUDE ARCHWAY IN AN ALL BUT GLOWING 1288: ROCK. ╘HROUGH THIS ARCHWAY ╘ANGLE FELL 1289: EXHAUSTED INTO A COOL MOSSY CAVE. ╘HE 1290: FLOOR AND WALLS WERE COVERED WITH 1291: MOSS-GREEN, SOFT, AND DAMP. ┴ LITTLE 1292: STREAM SPOUTED FROM A RENT IN THE 1293: ROCK AND FELL INTO A BASIN OF MOSS. 1294: ╙HE PLUNGED HER FACE INTO IT AND DRANK. 1295: ╘HEN SHE LIFTED HER HEAD AND LOOKED 1296: AROUND. ╘HEN SHE ROSE AND LOOKED AGAIN. 1297: ╙HE SAW NO ONE IN THE CAVE. ┬UT THE 1298: MOMENT SHE STOOD UPRIGHT SHE HAD A 1299: MARVELLOUS SENSE THAT SHE WAS IN THE 1300: SECRET OF THE EARTH AND ALL ITS WAYS. 1301: ┼VERYTHING SHE HAD SEEN, OR LEARNED 1302: FROM BOOKS; ALL THAT HER GRANDMOTHER 1303: HAD SAID OR SUNG TO HER; ALL THE TALK 1304: OF THE BEASTS, BIRDS, AND FISHES; ALL 1305: THAT HAD HAPPENED TO HER ON HER JOURNEY 1306: WITH ═OSSY, AND SINCE THEN IN THE HEART 1307: OF THE EARTH WITH THE ╧LD MAN AND THE 1308: ╧LDER MAN -- ALL WAS PLAIN: SHE 1309: UNDERSTOOD IT ALL, AND SAW THAT 1310: EVERYTHING MEANT THE SAME THING, THOUGH 1311: SHE COULD NOT HAVE PUT IT INTO WORDS 1312: AGAIN. 1313: ╘HE NEXT MOMENT SHE DESCRIED, IN A 1314: CORNER OF THE CAVE, A LITTLE NAKED 1315: CHILD, SITTING ON THE MOSS. ╚E WAS 1316: PLAYING WITH BALLS OF VARIOUS COLOURS 1317: AND SIZES, WHICH HE DISPOSED IN STRANGE 1318: FIGURES UPON THE FLOOR BESIDE HIM. ┴ND 1319: NOW ╘ANGLE FELT THAT THERE WAS 1320: SOMETHING IN HER KNOWLEDGE WHICH WAS 1321: NOT IN HER UNDERSTANDING. ╞OR SHE KNEW 1322: THERE MUST BE AN INFINITE MEANING IN 1323: THE CHANGE AND SEQUENCE AND INDIVIDUAL 1324: FORMS OF THE FIGURES INTO WHICH THE 1325: CHILD ARRANGED THE BALLS, AS WELL AS 1326: IN THE VARIED HARMONIES OF THEIR 1327: COLOURS, BUT WHAT IT ALL MEANT SHE 1328: COULD NOT TELL. ╚E WENT ON BUSILY, 1329: TIRELESSLY, PLAYING HIS SOLITARY GAME, 1330: WITHOUT LOOKING UP, OR SEEMING TO KNOW 1331: THAT THERE WAS A STRANGER IN HIS 1332: DEEP-WITHDRAWN CELL. ─ILIGENTLY AS A 1333: LACE-MAKER SHIFTS HER BOBBINS, HE 1334: SHIFTED AND ARRANGED HIS BALLS. ╞LASHES 1335: OF MEANING WOULD NOW PASS FROM THEM TO 1336: ╘ANGLE, AND NOW AGAIN ALL WOULD BE NOT 1337: MERELY OBSCURE, BUT UTTERLY DARK. ╙HE 1338: STOOD LOOKING FOR A LONG TIME, FOR 1339: THERE WAS FASCINATION IN THE SIGHT; AND 1340: THE LONGER SHE LOOKED THE MORE AN 1341: INDESCRIBABLE VAGUE INTELLIGENCE WENT 1342: ON ROUSING ITSELF IN HER MIND. ╞OR 1343: SEVEN YEARS SHE HAD STOOD THERE 1344: WATCHING THE NAKED CHILD WITH HIS 1345: COLOURED BALLS, AND IT SEEMED TO HER 1346: LIKE SEVEN HOURS, WHEN ALL AT ONCE THE 1347: SHAPE THE BALLS TOOK, SHE KNEW NOT WHY, 1348: REMINDED HER OF THE ╓ALLEY OF ╙HADOWS, 1349: AND SHE SPOKE: 1350: "╫HERE IS THE ╧LD ═AN OF THE 1351: ╞IRE?" SHE SAID. 1352: "╚ERE ╔ AM," ANSWERED THE CHILD, 1353: RISING AND LEAVING HIS BALLS ON THE 1354: MOSS. "╫HAT CAN ╔ DO FOR YOU?" 1355: ╘HERE WAS SUCH AN AWFULNESS OF 1356: ABSOLUTE REPOSE ON THE FACE OF THE 1357: CHILD THAT ╘ANGLE STOOD DUMB BEFORE 1358: HIM. ╚E HAD NO SMILE, BUT THE LOVE IN 1359: HIS LARGE GREY EYES WAS DEEP AS THE 1360: CENTER. ┴ND WITH THE REPOSE THERE LAY 1361: ON HIS FACE A SHIMMER AS OF MOONLIGHT, 1362: WHICH SEEMED AS IF ANY MOMENT IT MIGHT 1363: BREAK INTO SUCH A RAVISHING SMILE AS 1364: WOULD CAUSE THE BEHOLDER TO WEEP 1365: HIMSELF TO DEATH. ┬UT THE SMILE NEVER 1366: CAME, AND THE MOONLIGHT LAY THERE 1367: UNBROKEN. ╞OR THE HEART OF THE CHILD 1368: WAS TOO DEEP FOR ANY SMILE TO REACH 1369: FROM IT TO HIS FACE. 1370: "┴RE YOU THE OLDEST MAN OF ALL?" 1371: ╘ANGLE AT LENGTH, ALTHOUGH FILLED WITH 1372: AWE, VENTURED TO ASK. 1373: "┘ES, ╔ AM. ╔ AM VERY, VERY OLD. ╔ 1374: AM ABLE TO HELP YOU, ╔ KNOW. ╔ CAN HELP 1375: EVERYBODY." 1376: ┴ND THE CHILD DREW NEAR AND LOOKED 1377: UP IN HER FACE SO THAT SHE BURST INTO 1378: TEARS. 1379: "├AN YOU TELL ME THE WAY TO THE 1380: COUNTRY THE SHADOWS FALL FROM?" SHE 1381: SOBBED. 1382: "┘ES. ╔ KNOW THE WAY QUITE WELL. ╔ 1383: GO THERE MYSELF SOMETIMES. ┬UT YOU 1384: COULD NOT GO MY WAY; YOU ARE NOT OLD 1385: ENOUGH. ╔ WILL SHOW YOU HOW YOU CAN 1386: GO." 1387: "─O NOT SEND ME OUT INTO THE GREAT 1388: HEAT AGAIN," PRAYED ╘ANGLE. 1389: "╔ WILL NOT," ANSWERED THE CHILD. 1390: ┴ND HE REACHED UP, AND PUT HIS LITTLE 1391: COOL HAND ON HER HEART. "╬OW," HE SAID, 1392: "YOU CAN GO. ╘HE FIRE WILL NOT BURN 1393: YOU. ├OME." 1394: ╚E LED HER FROM THE CAVE, AND 1395: FOLLOWING HIM THROUGH ANOTHER ARCHWAY, 1396: SHE FOUND HERSELF IN A VAST DESERT OF 1397: SAND AND ROCK. ╘HE SKY OF IT WAS OF 1398: ROCK, LOWERING OVER THEM LIKE SOLID 1399: THUNDERCLOUDS; AND THE WHOLE PLACE WAS 1400: SO HOT THAT SHE SAW, IN BRIGHT 1401: RIVULETS, THE YELLOW GOLD AND WHITE 1402: SILVER AND RED COPPER TRICKLING MOLTEN 1403: FROM THE ROCKS. ┬UT THE HEAT NEVER CAME 1404: NEAR HER. 1405: ╫HEN THEY HAD GONE SOME DISTANCE, 1406: THE CHILD TURNED UP A GREAT STONE, AND 1407: TOOK SOMETHING LIKE AN EGG FROM UNDER 1408: IT. ╚E NEXT DREW A LONG CURVED LINE IN 1409: THE SAND WITH HIS FINGER, AND LAID THE 1410: EGG IN IT. ╚E THEN SPOKE SOMETHING 1411: ╘ANGLE COULD NOT UNDERSTAND. ╘HE EGG 1412: BROKE, A SMALL SNAKE CAME OUT, AND, 1413: LYING IN THE LINE IN THE SAND, GREW AND 1414: GREW TILL HE FILLED IT. ╘HE MOMENT HE 1415: WAS THUS FULL-GROWN, HE BEGAN TO GLIDE 1416: AWAY, UNDULATING LIKE A SEA-WAVE. 1417: "╞OLLOW THAT SERPENT," SAID THE 1418: CHILD. "╚E WILL LEAD YOU THE RIGHT 1419: WAY." 1420: ╘ANGLE FOLLOWED THE SERPENT. ┬UT 1421: SHE COULD NOT GO FAR WITHOUT LOOKING 1422: BACK AT THE MARVELLOUS ├HILD. ╚E STOOD 1423: ALONE IN THE MIDST OF THE GLOWING 1424: DESERT, BESIDE A FOUNTAIN OF RED FLAME 1425: THAT HAD BURST FORTH AT HIS FEET, HIS 1426: NAKED WHITENESS GLIMMERING A PALE ROSY 1427: RED IN THE TORRID FIRE. ╘HERE HE STOOD, 1428: LOOKING AFTER HER, TILL, FROM THE 1429: LENGTHENING DISTANCE, SHE COULD SEE HIM 1430: NO MORE. ╘HE SERPENT WENT STRAIGHT ON, 1431: TURNING NEITHER TO THE RIGHT NOR LEFT. ├HAPTER ╪: ╞ROM ╫HERE THE ╙HADOWS ╞ALL 1432: ═EANTIME ═OSSY HAD GOT OUT OF THE 1433: LAKE OF SHADOWS, AND, FOLLOWING HIS 1434: MOURNFUL, LONELY WAY, HAD REACHED THE 1435: SEA-SHORE. ╔T WAS A DARK, STORMY 1436: EVENING. ╘HE SUN HAD SET. ╘HE WIND WAS 1437: BLOWING FROM THE SEA. ╘HE WAVES HAD 1438: SURROUNDED THE ROCK WITHIN WHICH LAY 1439: THE ╧LD ═AN'S HOUSE. ┴ DEEP WATER 1440: ROLLED BETWEEN IT AND THE SHORE, UPON 1441: WHICH A MAJESTIC FIGURE WAS WALKING 1442: ALONE. ═OSSY WENT UP TO HIM AND SAID, 1443: "╫ILL YOU TELL ME WHERE TO FIND 1444: THE ╧LD ═AN OF THE ╙EA?" 1445: "╔ AM THE ╧LD ═AN OF THE ╙EA," THE 1446: FIGURE ANSWERED. "╔ SEE A STRONG KINGLY 1447: MAN OF MIDDLE AGE," RETURNED ═OSSY. 1448: ╘HEN THE ╧LD ═AN LOOKED AT HIM 1449: MORE INTENTLY, AND SAID, "┘OUR SIGHT, 1450: YOUNG MAN, IS BETTER THAN THAT OF MOST 1451: WHO TAKE THIS WAY. ╘HE NIGHT IS STORMY: 1452: COME TO MY HOUSE AND TELL ME WHAT ╔ CAN 1453: DO FOR YOU." 1454: ═OSSY FOLLOWED HIM. ╘HE WAVES FLEW 1455: FROM BEFORE THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE ╧LD 1456: ═AN OF THE ╙EA, AND ═OSSY FOLLOWED UPON 1457: DRY SAND. 1458: ╫HEN THEY HAD REACHED THE CAVE, 1459: THEY SAT DOWN AND GAZED AT EACH OTHER. 1460: ╬OW ═OSSY WAS AN OLD MAN BY THIS 1461: TIME. ╚E LOOKED MUCH OLDER THAN THE ╧LD 1462: ═AN OF THE ╙EA, AND HIS FEET WERE VERY 1463: WEARY. 1464: ┴FTER LOOKING AT HIM FOR A MOMENT, 1465: THE ╧LD ═AN TOOK HIM BY THE HAND AND 1466: LED HIM INTO HIS INNER CAVE. ╘HERE HE 1467: HELPED HIM TO UNDRESS, AND LAID HIM IN 1468: THE BATH. ┴ND HE SAW THAT ONE OF HIS 1469: HANDS ═OSSY DID NOT OPEN. 1470: "╫HAT HAVE YOU IN THAT HAND?" HE 1471: ASKED. 1472: ═OSSY OPENED HIS HAND, AND THERE 1473: LAY THE GOLDEN KEY. 1474: "┴H!" SAID THE ╧LD ═AN, "THAT 1475: ACCOUNTS FOR YOUR KNOWING ME. ┴ND ╔ 1476: KNOW THE WAY YOU HAVE TO GO." 1477: "╔ WANT TO FIND THE COUNTRY 1478: WHENCE THE SHADOWS FALL," SAID ═OSSY. 1479: "╔ DARESAY YOU DO. ╙O DO ╔. ┬UT 1480: MEANTIME, ONE THING IS CERTAIN. ╫HAT IS 1481: THAT KEY FOR, DO YOU THINK?" 1482: "╞OR A KEYHOLE SOMEWHERE. ┬UT ╔ 1483: DON'T KNOW WHY ╔ KEEP IT. ╔ NEVER COULD 1484: FIND THE KEYHOLE. ┴ND ╔ HAVE LIVED A 1485: GOOD WHILE, ╔ BELIEVE," SAID ═OSSY, 1486: SADLY. "╔'M NOT SURE THAT ╔'M NOT OLD. 1487: ╔ KNOW MY FEET ACHE." 1488: "─O THEY?" SAID THE ╧LD ═AN, AS IF 1489: HE REALLY MEANT TO ASK THE QUESTION; 1490: AND ═OSSY, WHO WAS STILL LYING IN THE 1491: BATH, WATCHED HIS FEET FOR A MOMENT 1492: BEFORE HE REPLIED, "╬O, THEY DO NOT," 1493: HE ANSWERED. "╨ERHAPS ╔ AM NOT OLD 1494: EITHER." 1495: "╟ET UP AND LOOK AT YOURSELF IN 1496: THE WATER." 1497: ╚E ROSE AND LOOKED AT HIMSELF IN 1498: THE WATER, AND THERE WAS NOT A GREY 1499: HAIR ON HIS HEAD OR A WRINKLE ON HIS 1500: SKIN. 1501: "┘OU HAVE TASTED OF DEATH NOW," 1502: SAID THE ╧LD ═AN. "╔S IT GOOD?" 1503: "╔T IS GOOD," SAID ═OSSY. "╔T IS 1504: BETTER THAN LIFE." 1505: "╬O," SAID THE ╧LD ═AN, "IT IS 1506: ONLY MORE LIFE. ┘OUR FEET WILL MAKE NO 1507: HOLES IN THE WATER NOW." 1508: "╫HAT DO YOU MEAN?" 1509: "╔ WILL SHOW YOU THAT PRESENTLY." 1510: ╘HEY RETURNED TO THE OUTER CAVE, 1511: AND SAT AND TALKED TOGETHER FOR A LONG 1512: TIME. ┴T LENGTH THE ╧LD ═AN OF THE ╙EA 1513: ROSE, AND SAID TO ═OSSY, 1514: "╞OLLOW ME." ╚E LED HIM UP THE 1515: STAIR AGAIN, AND OPENED ANOTHER DOOR. 1516: ╘HEY STOOD ON THE LEVEL OF THE RAGING 1517: SEA, LOOKING TOWARDS THE EAST. ┴CROSS 1518: THE WASTE OF WATERS, AGAINST THE BOSOM 1519: OF A FIERCE BLACK CLOUD, STOOD THE FOOT 1520: OF A RAINBOW, GLOWING IN THE DARK. 1521: "╘HIS INDEED IS MY WAY," SAID 1522: ═OSSY, AS SOON AS HE SAW THE RAINBOW, 1523: AND STEPPED OUT UPON THE SEA. ╚IS FEET 1524: MADE NO HOLES IN THE WATER. ╚E FOUGHT 1525: THE WIND, AND CLIMBED THE WAVES, AND 1526: WENT ON TOWARDS THE RAINBOW. ╘HE STORM 1527: DIED AWAY. ┴ LOVELY DAY AND A LOVELIER 1528: NIGHT FOLLOWED. ┴ COOL WIND BLEW OVER 1529: THE WIDE PLAIN OF THE QUIET OCEAN. ┴ND 1530: STILL ═OSSY JOURNEYED EASTWARD. ┬UT THE 1531: RAINBOW HAD VANISHED WITH THE STORM. 1532: ─AY AFTER DAY HE HELD ON, AND HE 1533: THOUGHT HE HAD NO GUIDE. ╚E DID NOT SEE 1534: HOW A SHINING FISH UNDER THE WATERS 1535: DIRECTED HIS STEPS. 1536: ╚E CROSSED THE SEA, AND CAME TO A 1537: GREAT PRECIPICE OF ROCK, UP WHICH HE 1538: COULD DISCOVER BUT ONE PATH. ╬OR DID 1539: THIS LEAD HIM FARTHER THAN HALF-WAY UP 1540: THE ROCK, WHERE IT ENDED ON A PLATFORM. 1541: ╚ERE HE STOOD AND PONDERED. ╔T COULD 1542: NOT BE THAT THE WAY STOPPED HERE, ELSE 1543: WHAT WAS THE PATH FOR? ╔T WAS A ROUGH 1544: PATH, NOT VERY PLAIN, YET CERTAINLY A 1545: PATH. ╚E EXAMINED THE FACE OF THE ROCK. 1546: ╔T WAS SMOOTH AS GLASS. ┬UT AS HIS EYES 1547: KEPT ROVING HOPELESSLY OVER IT, 1548: SOMETHING GLITTERED, AND HE CAUGHT 1549: SIGHT OF A ROW OF SMALL SAPPHIRES. ╘HEY 1550: BORDERED A LITTLE HOLE IN THE ROCK. 1551: "╘HE KEYHOLE!" HE CRIED. ╚E TRIED 1552: THE KEY. ╔T FIT. ╔T TURNED. ┴ GREAT 1553: CLANG AND CLASH, AS OF IRON BOLTS ON 1554: HUGE BRAZEN CALDRONS, ECHOED 1555: THUNDEROUSLY WITHIN. ╚E DREW OUT THE 1556: KEY. ╘HE ROCK IN FRONT OF HIM BEGAN TO 1557: FALL. ╚E RETREATED FROM IT AS FAR AS 1558: THE BREADTH OF THE PLATFORM WOULD 1559: ALLOW. 1560: ┴ GREAT SLAB FELL AT HIS FEET. ╔N 1561: FRONT WAS STILL THE SOLID ROCK, WITH 1562: THIS ONE SLAB FALLEN FORWARD OUT OF IT. 1563: ┬UT THE MOMENT HE STEPPED UPON IT, A 1564: SECOND FELL, JUST SHORT OF THE EDGE OF 1565: THE FIRST, MAKING THE NEXT STEP OF A 1566: STAIR, WHICH THUS KEPT DROPPING ITSELF 1567: BEFORE HIM AS HE ASCENDED INTO THE 1568: HEART OF THE PRECIPICE. 1569: ╔T LED HIM INTO A HALL FIT FOR 1570: SUCH AN APPROACH -- IRREGULAR AND RUDE 1571: IN FORMATION, BUT FLOOR, SIDES, 1572: PILLARS, AND VAULTED ROOF, ALL ONE MASS 1573: OF SHINING STONES OF EVERY COLOUR THAT 1574: LIGHT CAN SHOW. ╔N THE CENTER STOOD 1575: SEVEN COLUMNS, RANGED FROM RED TO 1576: VIOLET. ┴ND ON THE PEDESTAL OF ONE OF 1577: THEM SAT A WOMAN, MOTIONLESS, WITH HER 1578: FACE BOWED UPON HER KNEES. ╙EVEN YEARS 1579: HAD SHE SAT THERE WAITING. ╙HE LIFTED 1580: HER HEAD AS ═OSSY DREW NEAR. 1581: ╔T WAS ╘ANGLE. ╚ER HAIR HAD GROWN 1582: TO HER FEET, AND WAS RIPPLED LIKE THE 1583: WINDLESS SEA ON BROAD SANDS. ╚ER FACE 1584: WAS BEAUTIFUL, LIKE HER GRANDMOTHER'S, 1585: AND AS STILL AND PEACEFUL AS THAT OF 1586: THE ╧LD ═AN OF THE ╞IRE. ╚ER FORM WAS 1587: TALL AND NOBLE. ┘ET ═OSSY KNEW HER AT 1588: ONCE. 1589: "╚OW BEAUTIFUL YOU ARE, ╘ANGLE!" 1590: HE SAID, IN DELIGHT AND ASTONISHMENT. 1591: "┴M ╔?" SHE RETURNED. "╧H, ╔ HAVE 1592: WAITED FOR YOU SO LONG! ┬UT YOU, YOU 1593: ARE THE ╧LD ═AN OF THE ╙EA. ╬O. ┘OU ARE 1594: LIKE THE ╧LD ═AN OF THE ┼ARTH. ╬O, NO. 1595: ┘OU ARE LIKE THE OLDEST MAN OF ALL. ┘OU 1596: ARE LIKE THEM ALL. ┴ND YET YOU ARE MY 1597: OWN OLD ═OSSY! ╚OW DID YOU COME HERE? 1598: ╫HAT DID YOU DO AFTER ╔ LOST YOU? ─ID 1599: YOU FIND THE KEYHOLE? ╚AVE YOU GOT THE 1600: KEY STILL?" 1601: ╙HE HAD A HUNDRED QUESTIONS TO ASK 1602: HIM, AND HE A HUNDRED MORE TO ASK HER. 1603: ╘HEY TOLD EACH OTHER ALL THEIR 1604: ADVENTURES, AND WERE AS HAPPY AS MAN 1605: AND WOMAN COULD BE. ╞OR THEY WERE 1606: YOUNGER AND BETTER, AND STRONGER AND 1607: WISER, THAN THEY HAD EVER BEEN BEFORE. 1608: ╔T BEGAN TO GROW DARK. ┴ND THEY 1609: WANTED MORE THAN EVER TO REACH THE 1610: COUNTRY WHENCE THE SHADOWS FALL. ╙O 1611: THEY LOOKED ABOUT THEM FOR A WAY OUT OF 1612: THE CAVE. ╘HE DOOR BY WHICH ═OSSY 1613: ENTERED HAD CLOSED AGAIN, AND THERE WAS 1614: HALF A MILE OF ROCK BETWEEN THEM AND 1615: THE SEA. ╬EITHER COULD ╘ANGLE FIND THE 1616: OPENING IN THE FLOOR BY WHICH THE 1617: SERPENT HAD LED HER THITHER. ╘HEY 1618: SEARCHED TILL IT GREW SO DARK THAT THEY 1619: COULD SEE NOTHING, AND GAVE IT UP. 1620: ┴FTER A WHILE, HOWEVER, THE CAVE 1621: BEGAN TO GLIMMER AGAIN. ╘HE LIGHT CAME 1622: FROM THE MOON, BUT IT DID NOT LOOK LIKE 1623: MOON LIGHT, FOR IT GLEAMED THROUGH 1624: THOSE SEVEN PILLARS IN THE MIDDLE, AND 1625: FILLED THE PLACE WITH ALL COLOURS. ┴ND 1626: NOW ═OSSY SAW THAT THERE WAS A PILLAR 1627: BESIDE THE RED ONE, WHICH HE HAD NOT 1628: OBSERVED BEFORE. ┴ND IT WAS OF THE SAME 1629: NEW COLOUR THAT HE HAD SEEN IN THE 1630: RAINBOW WHEN HE SAW IT FIRST IN THE 1631: FAIRY FOREST. ┴ND ON IT HE SAW A 1632: SPARKLE OF BLUE. ╔T WAS THE SAPPHIRES 1633: ROUND THE KEYHOLE. ╚E TOOK HIS KEY. ╔T 1634: TURNED IN THE LOCK TO THE SOUNDS OF 1635: ┴EOLIAN MUSIC. 1636: ┴ DOOR OPENED UPON SLOW HINGES, 1637: AND DISCLOSED A WINDING STAIR WITHIN. 1638: ╘HE KEY VANISHED FROM HIS FINGERS. 1639: ╘ANGLE WENT UP. ═OSSY FOLLOWED. ╘HE 1640: DOOR CLOSED BEHIND THEM. ╘HEY CLIMBED 1641: OUT OF THE EARTH; AND, STILL CLIMBING, 1642: ROSE ABOVE IT. ╘HEY WERE IN THE 1643: RAINBOW. ╞AR ABROAD, OVER OCEAN AND 1644: LAND, THEY COULD SEE THROUGH ITS 1645: TRANSPARENT WALLS THE EARTH BENEATH 1646: THEIR FEET. ╙TAIRS BESIDE STAIRS WOUND 1647: UP TOGETHER, AND BEAUTIFUL BEINGS OF 1648: ALL AGES CLIMBED ALONG WITH THEM. 1649: ╘HEY KNEW THAT THEY WERE GOING UP 1650: TO THE COUNTRY WHENCE THE SHADOWS FALL. 1651: ┴ND BY THIS TIME ╔ THINK THEY MUST 1652: HAVE GOT THERE. 1653: *** ╘╚┼ ┼╬─ *** >>>>> ┼ND OF ╘EXT <<<<<