aves; but so violent the shock, the
osiers burst; and as the shallop fled one way, swimming another, ere
long I gained land.

"'Thus in Flozella, I found but the phantom of Ady, and slew the last
hope of Ady the true.'"

This recital sank deep into my soul. In some wild way, Hautia had made
a captive of Yillah; in some one of her black-eyed maids, the blue-
eyed One was transformed. From side to side, in frenzy, I turned; but
in all those cold, mystical eyes, saw not the warm ray that I sought.

"Hast taken root within this treacherous soil?" cried Media. "Away!
thy Yillah is behind thee, not before. Deep she dwells in blue
Serenia's groves; which thou would'st not search. Hautia mocks thee;
away! The reef is rounded; but a strait flows between this isle and
Odo, and thither its ruler must return. Every hour I tarry here, some
wretched serf is dying there, for whom, from blest Serenia, _I carry
life and joy. Away!_"

"Art still bent on finding evil for thy good?" cried Mohi.--"How can
Yillah harbor here?--Beware!--Let not Hautia so enthrall thee."

"Come away, come away," cried Yoomy. "Far hence is Yillah! and he who
tarries among these flowers, must needs burn juniper."

"Look on me, Media, Mohi, Yoomy. Here I stand, my own monument, till
Hautia breaks the spell."

In grief they left me.

Vee-Vee's conch I heard no more.

CHAPTER XC
Taji With Hautia

As their last echoes died away down the valley, Hautia glided near;--
zone unbound, the amaryllis in her hand. Her bosom ebbed and flowed;
the motes danced in the beams that darted from her eyes.

"Come! let us sin, and be merry. Ho! wine, wine, wine! and lapfuls of
flowers! let all the cane-brakes pipe their flutes. Damsels! dance;
reel, swim, around me:--I, the vortex that draws all in. Taji! Taji!--
as a berry, that name is juicy in my mouth!--Taji, Taji!" and in
choruses, she warbled forth the sound, till it seemed issuing from her
syren eyes.

My heart flew forth from out its bars, and soared in air; but as my
hand touched Hautia's, down dropped a dead bird from the clouds.

"Ha! how he sinks!--but did'st ever dive in deep waters, Taji? Did'st
ever see where pearls grow?--To the cave!--damsels, lead on!"

Then wending through constellations of flowers, we entered deep
groves. And thus, thrice from sun-light to shade, it seemed three
brief nights and days, ere we paused before the mouth of the cavern.

A bow-shot from the sea, it pierced the h