lowy double. Its wings were very large, nearly square, and flashed
all the colours of the rainbow. Wondering at their splendour, I became
so absorbed in their beauty that I stumbled over a low rock, and lay
stunned. When I came to myself, the creature was hovering over my head,
radiating the whole chord of light, with multitudinous gradations and
some kinds of colour I had never before seen. I rose and went on, but,
unable to take my eyes off the shining thing to look to my steps, I
struck my foot against a stone. Fearing then another fall, I sat down to
watch the little glory, and a great longing awoke in me to have it in my
hand. To my unspeakable delight, it began to sink toward me. Slowly at
first, then swiftly it sank, growing larger as it came nearer. I felt
as if the treasure of the universe were giving itself to me--put out my
hand, and had it. But the instant I took it, its light went out; all was
dark as pitch; a dead book with boards outspread lay cold and heavy in
my hand. I threw it in the air--only to hear it fall among the heather.
Burying my face in my hands, I sat in motionless misery.

But the cold grew so bitter that, fearing to be frozen, I got up. The
moment I was on my feet, a faint sense of light awoke in me. "Is it
coming to life?" I cried, and a great pang of hope shot through me.
Alas, no! it was the edge of a moon peering up keen and sharp over a
level horizon! She brought me light--but no guidance! SHE would not
hover over me, would not wait on my faltering steps! She could but offer
me an ignorant choice!

With a full face she rose, and I began to see a little about me.
Westward of her, and not far from me, a range of low hills broke the
horizon-line: I set out for it.

But what a night I had to pass ere I reached it! The moon seemed to know
something, for she stared at me oddly. Her look was indeed icy-cold, but
full of interest, or at least curiosity. She was not the same moon I
had known on the earth; her face was strange to me, and her light yet
stranger. Perhaps it came from an unknown sun! Every time I looked up,
I found her staring at me with all her might! At first I was annoyed,
as at the rudeness of a fellow creature; but soon I saw or fancied a
certain wondering pity in her gaze: why was I out in her night? Then
first I knew what an awful thing it was to be awake in the universe: I
WAS, and could not help it!

As I walked, my feet lost the heather, and trod a bare spongy soil,