my days at the bottom of
the sea; but without a doubt this is to be the end; what sea-monster
will come to eat me up?'

She crept higher and higher up the rock, and looked out over the sea.
Darkness was falling fast, so she took off her dress and covered her
head and face in it, so that she could not see the awful things that
would pass in the night.

After a long time she fell asleep, and dreamt that she heard the most
melodious music, and she tried to persuade herself that she was awake,
but in a second she heard a voice singing, as if to her alone:--

_'Suffer the love that wounds you:
It is a tender fire.
The love that follows and surrounds you
To your love would aspire.
Banish fear, forgo all grieving:
Love hath joys past all believing.
Suffer the love that wounds you:
It is a tender fire.'_

At the end of this song she woke up at once. 'What happiness or what
misfortune threatens me?' said she. She opened her eyes very carefully,
for she was full of fear, expecting to find herself surrounded by
monsters from the sea; but, imagine her surprise to find herself in a
chamber all glittering with gold! The bed on which she lay was perfect,
and the most beautiful to be seen anywhere in the wide world.
Laideronnette got up and went out on to a wide balcony, where she saw
all the beauties of nature before her. The gardens were full of
flowers--flowers that gave out the rarest perfume; fountains splashed
everywhere, and were surmounted by lovely figures; and outside the
gardens was a wonderful forest green with verdure. The palace and the
walls were encrusted with precious stones, the roofs and ceilings were
made of pearls, so beautifully done that it was a perfect work of art.
From the tower of the palace could be seen beyond the forest a sea calm
and placid, just like a sheet of glass, and on the sea floated thousands
of little boats with all kinds of different sails, which, when caught by
the wind, had the most lovely effect imaginable.

'Gods, sweet gods!' cried Laideronnette, 'what do I see? Where am I? Is
it possible that I am in heaven--I who yesterday was in peril in a
barque?' She walked as she spoke, then she stopped; what noise was that
she heard in her apartment? She turned and entered her room, and, coming
towards her, she saw a hundred little animated pagodas, all of
different designs. Some were very beautiful, while others were extremely
ugly. In fact