THE SWARM 



dulating, it trembles and flutters like a 

 veil of gladness invisible fingers support 

 in the sky, and wave to and fro, from the 

 flowers to the blue, expecting sublime 

 ad\ent or departure. And at last one 

 angle declines, another is lifted; the radi- 

 ant mantle unites its four sunlit comers; 

 and like the wonderful carpet the fairy- 

 tale speaks of, that flits across space to 

 obey its master s command, it steers its 

 straight course, bending forward a little 

 as though to hide in its folds the sacred 

 presence of the future, towards the 

 \\illow, the pear-tree, or lime whereon 

 the queen has alighted; and round her 

 each rh}'thmical wave comes to rest, as 

 though on a nail of gold, and suspends 

 its fabric of pearls and of luminous wings. 

 [ ios ] 



