e came to himself to know that he offered outrageous
offence to virgin pride, unwarrantable, and far from his mind. Her free,
bold words were too coldly proud for any thought of disrespect. He turned
again hastily. She was gone.

He sprang to the brimming cave. 'Diadyomene,' he called; 'Diadyomene,'
and followed up the moving water; but he had no definite sight of her,
and got no answer till he came to the great cavern. No witch she looked
beside the jasper mirror, but just a slender, solitary maiden. She did
not lift her pensive head, nor move nor look at him as he drew to her.

'Diadyomene,' he supplicated, 'have out on me all that is in your mind.
Call me dumb-squint, beetle-head in mind and manners.'

With a quite impassive countenance she answered gently:

'It is in my mind that the sun is low and the tide high. It is in my mind
to put you in a way where both may yet serve for your safe homing.'

Out came a sovereign smile of humour, sweet raillery, and condonation
blended, instant on her investigation of his eyes. Humbled and exalted at
one fine touch, Christian's judgment surrendered to her. She hindered a
word of it.

'I can show you an outlet that will take you to a sheltered reach behind
the landward walls of this Isle. So will you evade the worst races of the
tide. Furthermore, from the mainland to the open you will need aid.'

He answered unsuspiciously that of her grace he had learned the reefs
fairly.

'Ah yes, and conned through but once,' she said smoothly, and eyed him.

'Conned twice--once either way.'

'I sent you no summons,' she expostulated quietly.

'Do you think that I have lied to you?'

She did not answer.

With indignant emphasis he repeated, 'Do you think I have lied?'

'Do you think _I_ have?'

Not a quiver crossed her front with the mendacious alternative; not even
for laughter, when the face of Christian lent ample occasion; for, as a
fish with a barb in the gullet not to be spewed out, was he impotent and
spun.

While still he gasped, Diadyomene slid forward into the deep and bade
haste for daylight. Fine swimmer he was, but his strokes compared ill
with an effortless ease like a wing-wide bird's. Refraction gave her
limbs a lovely distortion, and pearly soft they were through the beryl
wash. Behind her merged head the level just rocked and quivered; cleft by
his chin it rebelled in broad ripples. She turned her head, curious of
his clumsy method; she could not forbear