the feathers on his neck! A wonderful spectacle! The embodiment of
powerful life! And the others by his side. We transformed the poor
creatures into a motionless, miserable mass, and just now they were
cleaving the air with their strong wings, proclaiming by proud, glad
cries to their families among the reeds their approach with an abundant
store of prey. Every one was a feast to the eyes before our arrows struck
it, and now? When Hermon, with his pitying heart, condemns this kind of
hunting, he is right. It deprives free, harmless creatures of their best
possession--life--and us thereby of a pleasant sight. In general, a
bird's existence seems to me also of little value, but beauty, to me as
to you, transcends everything else. What would existence be without it?
and wherever it appears, to injure it is infamous."

Here a slight cough interrupted the young artist, and the moist glitter
of his blue eyes also betrayed that he was suffering from an attack of
severe pain in his lungs; but Daphne nodded assent to him, and to Hermon
also, and commanded the steward Gras to take the birds out of her sight.

"But," said the Bithynian, "our mistress will doubtless allow us at least
to take the hard lower part of the pelicans' beaks, and the wing feathers
of the flamingoes and birds of prey, to show our master on our return as
trophies."

"Trophies?" repeated the girl scornfully. "Hermon, you are better than I
and the rest of us, and I see that you are right. Where game flies toward
us in such quantities, hunting becomes almost murder. And successes won
by so slight an exertion offer little charm. The second expedition before
sunset, Gras, shall be given up. The master of the hounds, with his men
and the dogs, will return home on the transports this very day. I am
disgusted with sport here. Birds of prey, and those only when brought
down from the air, would probably be the right game in this place."

"Those are the very ones to which I would grant life," said Hermon,
smiling, "because they enjoy it most."

"Then we will at least save the sea eagle," cried Daphne, and ordered the
steward, who was already having the dead fowl carried off, to care for
the wounded bird of prey; but when the latter struck furiously with his
beak at the Biamite who attempted to remove it, Hermon again turned to
the girl, saying: "I thank you in the eagle's name for your good will,
you best of women; but I fear even the most careful nursing will not