. The Gy-ei in my country are much fairer of hue than I am, and
their average height is at least a head shorter than mine."

"They cannot then be so strong as the Ana amongst you? But I suppose
their superior vril force makes up for such extraordinary disadvantage
of size?"

"They do not profess the vril force as you know it. But still they are
very powerful in my country, and an An has small chance of a happy life
if he be not more or less governed by his Gy."

"You speak feelingly," said Taee's sister, in a tone of voice half sad,
half petulant. "You are married, of course."

"No--certainly not."

"Nor betrothed?"

"Nor betrothed."

"Is it possible that no Gy has proposed to you?"

"In my country the Gy does not propose; the An speaks first."

"What a strange reversal of the laws of nature!" said the maiden, "and
what want of modesty in your sex! But have you never proposed, never
loved one Gy more than another?"

I felt embarrassed by these ingenious questionings, and said, "Pardon
me, but I think we are beginning to infringe upon Aph-Lin's injunction.
This much only will I answer, and then, I implore you, ask no more. I
did once feel the preference you speak of; I did propose, and the
Gy would willingly have accepted me, but her parents refused their
consent."

"Parents! Do you mean seriously to tell me that parents can interfere
with the choice of their daughters?"

"Indeed they can, and do very often."

"I should not like to live in that country," said the Gy simply; "but I
hope you will never go back to it."

I bowed my head in silence. The Gy gently raised my face with her right
hand, and looked into it tenderly. "Stay with us," she said; "stay with
us, and be loved." What I might have answered, what dangers of becoming
a cinder I might have encountered, I still trouble to think, when the
light of the naphtha fountain was obscured by the shadow of wings; and
Zee, flying though the open roof, alighted beside us. She said not a
word, but, taking my arm with her mighty hand, she drew me away, as a
mother draws a naughty child, and led me through the apartments to one
of the corridors, on which, by the mechanism they generally prefer to
stairs, we ascended to my own room. This gained, Zee breathed on my
forehead, touched my breast with her staff, and I was instantly plunged
into a profound sleep.

When I awoke some hours later, and heard the songs of the birds in the
adjoining aviary, the remembr