e gods to whom they loved to
pray, to the little lesser gods that bless Belzoond. Then leaving the
hut that I built to those ravenous years I turned my back to the Yann
and entering the forest at evening just as its orchids were opening
their petals to perfume the night came out of it in the morning, and
passed that day along the amethyst gulf by the gap in the blue-grey
mountains. I wondered if Singanee, that mighty elephant-hunter, had
returned again with his spear to his lofty ivory palace or if his doom
had been one with that of Perdondaris. I saw a merchant at a small
back door selling new sapphires as I passed the palace, then I went on
and came as twilight fell to those small cottages where the elfin
mountains are in sight of the fields we know. And I went to the old
witch that I had seen before and she sat in her parlour with a red
shawl round her shoulders still knitting the golden cloak, and faintly
through one of her windows the elfin mountains shone and I saw again
through another the fields we know.

"Tell me something," I said, "of this strange land!"

"How much do you know?" she said. "Do you know that dreams are
illusion?"

"Of course I do," I said. "Every one knows that."

"Oh no they don't," she said, "the mad don't know it."

"That is true," I said.

"And do you know," she said, "that Life is illusion?"

"Of course it is not," I said. "Life is real, Life is earnest----."

At that the witch and her cat (who had not moved from her old place by
the hearth) burst into laughter. I stayed some time, for there was
much that I wished to ask, but when I saw that the laughter would not
stop I turned and went away.

THE AVENGER OF PERDONDARIS

I was rowing on the Thames not many days after my return from the Yann
and drifting eastwards with the fall of the tide away from Westminster
Bridge, near which I had hired my boat. All kinds of things were on
the water with me--sticks drifting, and huge boats--and I was
watching, so absorbed the traffic of that great river that I did not
notice I had come to the City until I looked up and saw that part of
the Embankment that is nearest to Go-by Street. And then I suddenly
wondered what befell Singanee, for there was a stillness about his
ivory palace when I passed it by, which made me think that he had not
then returned. And though I had seen him go forth with his terrific
spear, and mighty elephant-hunter though he was, yet his was a fearful