asifstungbytarantulas,theysprang,laughed,rejoiced,asifintheirecstaciestheyweregoingtoembracealltheworld.

thedryadfeltherselftornwiththemintothewhirlofthedance.roundherdelicatefootclungthesilkenboot,chestnutbrownincolor,liketheribbonthatfloatedfromherhairdownuponherbareshoulders.thegreensilkdresswavedinlargefolds,butdidnotentirelyhidetheprettyfootandankle.

hadshecometotheenchantedgardenofarmida?whatwasthenameoftheplace?

thenameglitteredingas-jetsovertheentrance.itwas"mabille."

thesoaringupwardsofrockets,thesplashingoffountains,andthepoppingofchampagnecorksaccompaniedthewildbacchanticdance.overthewholeglidedthemoonthroughtheair,clear,butwithasomewhatcrookedface.

awildjovialityseemedtorushthroughthedryad,asthoughshewereintoxicatedwithopium.hereyesspoke,herlipsspoke,butthesoundofviolinsandofflutesdrownedthesoundofhervoice.herpartnerwhisperedwordstoherwhichshedidnotunderstand,nordoweunderstandthem.hestretchedouthisarmstodrawhertohim,butheembracedonlytheemptyair.

thedryadhadbeencarriedaway,likearose-leafonthewind.beforehershesawaflameintheair,aflashinglighthighuponatower.thebeaconlightshonefromthegoalofherlonging,shonefromtheredlighthousetowerofthefatamorganaofthechampdershewascarriedbythewind.shecircledroundthetower;theworkmenthoughtitwasabutterflythathadcometooearly,andthatnowsankdowndying.

themoonshonebright,gas-lampsspreadlightaround,throughthehalls,overtheall-world'sbuildingsscatteredabout,overtherose-hillsandtherocksproducedbyhumaningenuity,fromwhichwaterfalls,drivenbythepowerof"masterbloodless,"fellcavernsofthesea,thedepthsofthelakes,thekingdomofthefisheswereopenedhere.menwalkedasinthedepthsofthedeeppond,andheldconversewiththesea,inthediving-bellofglass.thewaterpressedagainstthestrongglasswallsaboveandoneveryside.thepolypi,eel-likelivingcreatures,hadfastenedthemselvestothebottom,andstretchedoutarms,fathomslong,forprey.abigturbotwasmakinghimselfbroadinfront,quietlyenough,butnotwithoutcastingsomesuspiciousglancesaside.acrabclamberedoverhim,lookinglikeagiganticspider,whiletheshrimpswanderedaboutinrestlesshaste,likethebutterfliesandmothsofthesea.

inthefreshwatergrewwater-lilies,nymphaea,andreeds;thegold-fishesstoodupbelowinrankandfile,allturningtheirheadsoneway,thatthestreamingwatermightflowintotheirmouths.fatcarpsstaredattheglasswallwithstupideyes.theyknewthattheywereheretobeexhibited,andthattheyhadmadethesomewhattoilsomejourneyhitherintubsfilledwithwater;andtheythoughtwithdismayoftheland-sicknessfromwhichtheyhadsufferedsocruellyontherailway.

theyhadcometoseetheexhibition,andnowcontemplateditfromtheirfreshorsalt-waterposition.theylookedattentivelyatthecrowdsofpeoplewhopassedbythemearlyandlate.allthenationsintheworld,theythought,hadmadeanexhibitionoftheirinhabitants,fortheedificationofthesolesandhaddocks,pikeandcarp,thattheymightgivetheiropinionsuponthedifferentkinds.

"thosearescalyanimals"saidalittleslimywhiting."theyputondifferentscalestwoorthreetimesaday,andtheyemitsoundswhichtheycallspeaking.wedon'tputonscales,andwemakeourselvesunderstoodinaneasierway,simplybytwitchingthecornersofourmouthsandstaringwithoureyes.wehaveagreatmanyadvantagesovermankind."

"buttheyhavelearnedswimmingofus,"remarkedawell-educatedcodling."youmustknowicomefromthegreatseaoutside.inthehottimeoftheyearthepeopleyondergointothewater;firsttheytakeofftheirscales,andthentheyswim.theyhavelearntfromthefrogstokickoutwiththeirhindlegs,androwwiththeirforepaws.buttheycannotholdoutlong.theywanttobelikeus,buttheycannotcomeuptous.poorpeople!"