CHAPTER XXXIII. PHANTASMION RESCUES LEUCOIA FROM CAPTIVITY. HAVING reached the banks of the wide sheet of water which Phantasmion had seen from on high, the company entered a mother-of-pearl boat, which was drawn by a team of swans, a full grown pair in front of the vessel, then three yokes of younger ones, each couple being smaller than that behind, while a single tiny cygnet floated on before. Doves fastened to the stern by silken cords and studs of diamond fluttered round the gleaming skiff, and hastened its progress, while they lulled the air with their downy pinions. The fire-fly constellation was reflected, together with the moon, on the calm waters, forming now a belt across her disk, now a ring which inclosed and shone beyond it: white peacocks spread their snowy trains over the dark foliage that overhung the lake, white cormorants occupied the rocks, and alabaster images of herons cast their still reflections on the pool. A tiger emerging from the recesses of the wood came to drink the cool wave, after sleeping in his lair during the close heat of the darksome day; and he too was colourless and gleaming as a ghost. Anon a white bird of paradise rose from the trees, and flew with slow undulating motion over the lake, first crossing the moon's bright image, then sinking amid blossoms, downy and drooping as her own light plumage, like a snow The tiger was flake descended into a wreath of snow. drinking at the end of a little promontory as the skiff passed by a reflection on the water made him look up, when beholding the youth's illumined visage, he suddenly rushed back again into the depths of the grove. The company in the vessel were all silent and thoughtful, Leucoia's fair stag lay beside her feet, Potentilla sate at the helm with Melledine's chain in her hand, while the captive crouched beneath, her ebon face bowed forward. Phantasmion leaning over the prow cast such bright gleams upon the waters, that the silver-scaled fishes leaped up, attracted by a stronger light than had ever penetrated their liquid haunts before. The pensive eyes of Leucoia were bent upon the youth's averted face she longed not for green fields and sunshine, but would fain have dwelt with him in that gleaming vale for ever. Melledine drew nigh the stag, and would have rested her head upon his lily side, but when he shrank away she leaned against the edge of the boat, and began to murmur a soft melody. The tone of her voice was inexpressibly sweet, and such was her power that it seemed to proceed from the woods and waters and all places except the skiff. For at the time her words were inaudible, but, at last, Phantasmion, ceased to watch the leaping fishes, and listened unconsciously to these numbers : Blest is the tarn which towering cliffs o'ershade, Which, cradled deep within the mountain's breast Yet e'en the tarn enjoys no perfect rest, For oft the angry skies her peace molest, With them she frowns, gives back the lightning's glare, This calmer lake, which potent spells protect, O then she wakes to glitter bright as they, She yields that dream of bliss to ever welcome sleep. While the strain proceeded, a pleasing stupor stole over Phantasmion, in spite of the antidote supplied by Feydeleen; he began to dream with his eyes open, and beheld the face of Iarine in that of Leucoia. He fancied himself on the Black Lake, and the radiance of the moon seemed to his eyes the same soft sunlight which had shone upon his last interview with the island princess. Potentilla had been busily plying her pinions, and broke the silence of night with a continuous hum, which seemed to tell of open flowers and glancing sunbeams : now her wings of gauze hung sleepily down, her lamp languished, one hand dropped the helm, the other resigned the chain, and bending forward, she nodded over the stern. Then Melledine raised her head, and, fixing her eyes upon Phantasmion's face, continued her melodious incantations, accompanied by the soft noise of downy wings and of the gliding vessel. Meanwhile, as she waved her hand, a mist gradually rose all round the skiff, and on its silvery tissue the rays of the moon painted a vivid rainbow, which rested on either side among darksome groves and shady waters, while, betwixt the arch, an island, and the grey towers of an ancient castle, appeared to loom through the vapoury veil. Then Phantasmion dreamed that all which had passed, since he plighted his faith to Iarine under the sunny rainbow, was but a dream: he took from his bosom her glossy ringlet, which had been twined with rubies to form a crown for his brow, and placing it on Leucoia's head, while he whispered vows of changeless love, he bade her wear it for his sake till she was queen of Palmland. Melledine looked earnestly at Leucoia, with her finger on her lips, and entreated her, in low breathed strains of melody, to bear at least a silent part in this deception. And, if the maiden loved Phantasmion while his countenance was unimpassioned, how still more loveable did he now appear, when his looks and tones expressed the deepest tenderness ! But her spirit was free from magic influence, and, having just recovered from the treacherous spell, she was less subject to its power. "Never," she said, "shall Phantasmion, for my unworthy sake, be hidden from the sun's light; false Melledine's subtle sleights shall all prove vain." The enchantress had by this time turned the skiff, the doves fanned the air with redoubled vigour, and the swans rowed swiftly on toward the head of the lake. Leucoia took a loosened peg, which had fastened one of the dovecords into the skiff, and was about to prick the relaxed palm of Potentilla, which lay half open beside her lap; when the vigilant fairy, who had only been feigning slumber, quickly rose, her flames all rekindled, and snatching the peg from Leucoia, plunged it up to the diamond head in the arm of Melledine which was guiding the rudder. Stung with pain, the enchantress uttered one loud piercing shriek: such a sound had never escaped her lips till then, such a sound had never before been heard in the gleaming valley. The peacocks which sate in multitudes on the trees around the lake, unfurling their eyeless trains to the moonbeams, echoed that scream till the mountains rang again, and instantly afterwards the fiery constellation descended from on high to hang over Melledine's head in the guise of a comet, that flamed and quivered just aloft with painful splendour. Dazzled and stunned, she sank to the bottom of the skiff, veiling her head and pressing her palms closely over her muffled ears. While Potentilla resumed the rudder and put the vessel back into its former course, Phantasmion, now thoroughly awakened, looked in confusion at the chaplet of Iarine's hair which twined the flaxen locks of Leucoia. The damsel took it from her head, and with a gentle smile and glistening eye, restored it to him: that done, the stag, which had been standing by her side with wild looks ever since Melledine turned the skiff, lay down at her feet and rested peacefully as before. After awhile the boat entered a river, by which the waters of the lake partly flowed off. The swans held on their course till they arrived at a steep wall of cliff, against the lower part of which a cloud was resting. Here they stopped, and Potentilla having pulled Melledine by the chain, she rose, and, waving her hand, caused the cloud to soar from the base to the middle of the rock, discovering an archway, through which the stream flowed and disappeared amid the windings of the passage. Leucoia embraced her gentle stag as they entered the gloomy vault; Phantasmion covered himself |