GRIFFEN THE HIGH FLIER 79 



the country to some spot where a noble cavalier 

 or a fair, high-born dame would be likely to pass 

 during the day. There he would wait until his 

 unsuspecting victim drew near, when the horse 

 would suddenly alight and block up the road. 

 Then the wizard, still sitting in his saddle, would 

 begin to read aloud from the book. At the sound 

 of the very first word, the knight or fair lady 

 would forget everything that had ever happened 

 before, would forget home, friends, and name, 

 and think only of the honey-sweet tones that is- 

 sued from the magician's lips. When the last 

 words were pronounced the victim would come 

 meekly forward, and, being lifted upon the pillion 

 behind Atlantes, would be firmly strapped to the 

 saddle. Then the good horse would spread his 

 rainbow wings, and carry his double burden to 

 the great air-castle on the Spanish mountain. 



Thus the wizard filled his halls with the no- 

 bility of France and Spain. Nobody who once 

 entered the golden gateway cared to go out again : 

 each one lived in utter forgetfulness of his past 

 life, thinking only of the delights of each passing 

 hour. He could not even recall his own name, 

 and he never thought of asking for the names of 

 others. 



