gs. That grieves me, for I should have liked to fly with
you."

"Alas!" I replied, "I can never hope to enjoy that happiness. I am
assured by Zee that the safe use of wings is a hereditary gift, and it
would take generations before one of my race could poise himself in the
air like a bird." "Let not that thought vex you too much," replied this
amiable Princess, "for, after all, there must come a day when Zee and
myself must resign our wings forever. Perhaps when that day comes we
might be glad if the An we chose was also without wings."

The Tur had left us, and was lost amongst the crowd. I began to feel
at ease with Taee's charming sister, and rather startled her by the
boldness of my compliment in replying, "that no An she could choose
would ever use his wings to fly away from her." It is so against custom
for an An to say such civil things to a Gy till she has declared her
passion for him, and been accepted as his betrothed, that the young
maiden stood quite dumbfounded for a few moments. Nevertheless she
did not seem displeased. At last recovering herself, she invited me to
accompany her into one of the less crowded rooms and listen to the songs
of the birds. I followed her steps as she glided before me, and she led
me into a chamber almost deserted. A fountain of naphtha was playing in
the centre of the room; round it were ranged soft divans, and the walls
of the room were open on one side to an aviary in which the birds
were chanting their artful chorus. The Gy seated herself on one of the
divans, and I placed myself at her side. "Taee tells me," she said,
"that Aph-Lin has made it the law* of his house that you are not to be
questioned as to the country you come from or the reason why you visit
us. Is it so?"

* Literally "has said, In this house be it requested." Words synonymous
with law, as implying forcible obligation, are avoided by this singular
people. Even had it been decreed by the Tur that his College of Sages
should dissect me, the decree would have ran blandly thus,--"Be it
requested that, for the good of the community, the carnivorous Tish be
requested to submit himself to dissection."

"It is."

"May I, at least, without sinning against that law, ask at least if the
Gy-ei in your country are of the same pale colour as yourself, and no
taller?"

"I do not think, O beautiful Gy, that I infringe the law of Aph-Lin,
which is more binding on myself than any one, if I answer questions so
innocent