CUPID AND PSYCHE. 
135 
away. They called her the nymph whose motions 
were more graceful than the flowers of the Acacia, 
that drooped and swung in the breeze,—who never 
spoke but what the very air seemed to hold in its 
breath, as if to listen to the music of her sweet voice, 
—who never appeared but the flocks left off grazing 
to look upon her,—nor ever moved without the 
flowers bending their heads as if to follow her. 
Psyche, on whose head the timid butterflies alighted, 
around whose parted lips the bees flew murmuring, 
as if they wanted to deposit the honey which they 
bore to the rich stores that were hidden within them; 
Psyche, who garlanded the ivory of her neck with 
the trailing flowers of the Pea-blossom, until the 
parted buds flew back from her shoulders like wings, 
as she ran along, followed by the butterflies, when 
they went out to play together. Love leant upon 
his bow enraptured, and resolved within himself 
that he would find out where this beautiful flower 
of Arcadia concealed herself, for he soon learnt 
that her abode was unknown to the shepherds, 
who but occasionally caught a passing glimpse of 
her beauty. 
Over many a pasture and many a plain did Love 
wander in search of Psyche ; through long avenues of 
mighty oaks, and fragrant arbours of Acacia, parting 
the trailing tendrils of the vetches with his pointed 
arrow as he forced his way between them, until at 
