ENCHANTED NIGHT 



bathed in a golden glory with long shadows 

 slanting on the lawn, and ripples on the pool 

 where fishes move. The sun sinks and, as it 

 were, splashes up the stars. The twilight creeps 

 in upon us in robes of mystery. The birds are 

 hushed, and now all outlines soften, and the great 

 trees seem to nod their heads. 



" Listen," says the king. 



One hears the voices of flowers as they wake 

 or settle themselves to sleep. A bat wheels past, 

 and in the trees an owl begins to hoot mourn- 

 fully. The nymph of the pool looks out 

 cautiously from her lily-fringed window, dryads 

 creep from the trees, and a young faun steps 

 nimbly from the shadows. And then, as if with 

 one voice, a thousand royal lovers whisper to the 

 ladies by their sides, " My Queen." 



I feel the pressure of a hand in mine ; I look 

 round, the king has vanished. Then everything 

 fades away, and I find myself in that long lane 

 between high walls, and the door is shut. And 

 I wake. 



