-whither?
And then she wondered if what was brought into her rooms had been killed
that she might drink it, and have her bath in it.

Once when she stepped out upon the wall, it was into the midst of a
fierce wind. The trees were all roaring. Great clouds were rushing along
the skies, and tumbling over the little lamps: the great lamp had not
come yet. All was in tumult. The wind seized her garments and hair, and
shook them as if it would tear them from her. What could she have done
to make the gentle creature so angry? Or was this another creature
altogether--of the same kind, but hugely bigger, and of a very different
temper and behavior? But the whole place was angry! Or was it that the
creatures dwelling in it, the wind, and the trees, and the clouds, and
the river, had all quarrelled, each with all the rest? Would the whole
come to confusion and disorder? But as she gazed, wondering and
disquieted, the moon, larger than ever she had seen her, came lifting
herself above the horizon to look, broad and red as if she too were
swollen with anger that she had been roused from her rest by their
noise, and compelled to hurry up to see what her children were about,
thus rioting in her absence, lest they should rack the whole frame of
things. And as she rose, the loud wind grew quieter, and scolded less
fiercely, the trees grew stiller, and moaned with a lower complaint, and
the clouds hunted and hurled themselves less wildly across the sky. And
as if she were pleased that her children obeyed her very presence, the
moon grew smaller as she ascended the heavenly stair; her puffed cheeks
sank, her complexion grew clearer, and a sweet smile spread over her
countenance, as peacefully she rose and rose. But there was treason and
rebellion in her court; for ere she reached the top of her great stairs
the clouds had assembled, forgetting their late wars, and very still
they were as they laid their heads together and conspired. Then
combining, and lying silently in wait until she came near, they threw
themselves upon her, and swallowed her up. Down from the roof came spots
of wet, faster and faster, and they wetted the cheeks of Nycteris; and
what could they be but the tears of the moon, crying because her
children were smothering her? Nycteris wept too, and not knowing what to
think, stole back in dismay to her room.

The next time she came out in fear and trembling. There was the moon
still! away in the west--poor, indeed, and ol