artificialgrottoessurroundedbodiesoffreshorsaltwater,andgaveaglimpseintotheempireofthefishes;thevisitorseemedtowanderatthebottomofthesea,amongfishesandpolypi.

"allthis,"theysaid,"thechampdemarsoffers;"andaroundthegreatrichly-spreadtablethecrowdofhumanbeingsmoveslikeabusyswarmofants,onfootorinlittlecarriages,fornotallfeetareequaltosuchafatiguingjourney.

hithertheyswarmfrommorningtilllateintheevening.steameraftersteamer,crowdedwithpeople,glidesdowntheseine.thenumberofcarriagesiscontinuallyontheincrease.theswarmofpeopleonfootandonhorsebackgrowsmoreandmoredense.carriagesandomnibusesarecrowded,stuffedandembroideredwithpeople.allthesetributarystreamsflowinonedirection-towardstheeveryentrancetheflagoffranceisdisplayed;aroundtheworld'sbazaarwavetheflagsofallnations.thereisahummingandamurmuringfromthehallofthemachines;fromthetowersthemelodyofthechimesisheard;withthetonesoftheorgansinthechurchesminglethehoarsenasalsongsfromthecafesoftheeast.itisakingdomofbabel,awonderoftheworld!

inverytruthitwas.that'swhatallthereportssaid,andwhodidnothearthem?thedryadkneweverythingthatistoldhereofthenewwonderinthecityofcities.

"flyaway,yebirds!flyawaytosee,andthencomebackandtellme,"saidthedryad.

thewishbecameanintensedesire-becametheonethoughtofalife.then,inthequietsilentnight,whilethefullmoonwasshining,thedryadsawasparkflyoutofthemoon'sdisc,andfalllikeashootingstar.andbeforethetree,whoseleaveswavedtoandfroasiftheywerestirredbyatempest,stoodanoble,mighty,andgrandfigure.intonesthatwereatoncerichandstrong,likethetrumpetofthelastjudgmentbiddingfarewelltolifeandsummoningtothegreataccount,itsaid:

"thoushaltgotothecityofmagic;thoushalttakerootthere,andenjoythemightyrushingbreezes,theairandthesunshinethere.butthetimeofthylifeshallthenbeshortened;thelineofyearsthatawaitedtheehereamidthefreenatureshallshrinktobutasmalltale.poordryad!itshallbethydestruction.thyyearningandlongingwillincrease,thydesirewillgrowmorestormy,thetreeitselfwillbeasaprisontothee,thouwiltquitthycellandgiveupthynaturetoflyoutandmingleamongtheyearsthatwouldhavebelongedtotheewillbecontractedtohalfthespanoftheephemeralfly,thatlivesbutaday:onenight,andthylife-tapershallbeblownout-theleavesofthetreewillwitherandbeblownaway,tobecomegreenneveragain!"

thusthewordssounded.andthelightvanishedaway,butnotthelongingofthedryad.shetrembledinthewildfeverofexpectation.

"ishallgothere!"shecried,rejoicingly."lifeisbeginningandswellslikeacloud;nobodyknowswhitheritishastening."

whenthegraydawnaroseandthemoonturnedpaleandthecloudsweretintedred,thewished-forhourstruck.thewordsofpromisewerefulfilled.

peopleappearedwithspadesandpoles;theydugroundtherootsofthetree,deeperanddeeper,andbeneathit.awagonwasbroughtout,drawnbymanyhorses,andthetreewasliftedup,withitsrootsandthelumpsofearththatadheredtothem;mattingwasplacedaroundtheroots,asthoughthetreehaditsfeetinawarmbag.andnowthetreewasliftedonthewagonandsecuredwithjourneybegan-thejourneytoparis.therethetreewastogrowasanornamenttothecityoffrenchglory.

thetwigsandtheleavesofthechestnuttreetrembledinthefirstmomentsofitsbeingmoved;andthedryadtrembledinthepleasurablefeelingofexpectation.

"away!