way! But I believed he would, for surely she
had died long ago! Alas, how bitterly must I not humble myself before
him!

To Adam I must take Lilith also. I had no power to make her repent! I
had hardly a right to slay her--much less a right to let her loose in
the world! and surely I scarce merited being made for ever her gaoler!

Again and again, on the way, I offered her food; but she answered only
with a look of hungering hate. Her fiery eyes kept rolling to and fro,
nor ever closed, I believe, until we reached the other side of the
hot stream. After that they never opened until we came to the House of
Bitterness.

One evening, as we were camping for the night, I saw a little girl go
up to her, and ran to prevent mischief. But ere I could reach them, the
child had put something to the lips of the princess, and given a scream
of pain.

"Please, king," she whimpered, "suck finger. Bad giantess make hole in
it!"

I sucked the tiny finger.

"Well now!" she cried, and a minute after was holding a second fruit
to a mouth greedy of other fare. But this time she snatched her hand
quickly away, and the fruit fell to the ground. The child's name was
Luva.

The next day we crossed the hot stream. Again on their own ground,
the Little Ones were jubilant. But their nests were still at a great
distance, and that day we went no farther than the ivy-hall, where,
because of its grapes, I had resolved to spend the night. When they saw
the great clusters, at once they knew them good, rushed upon them, ate
eagerly, and in a few minutes were all fast asleep on the green floor
and in the forest around the hall. Hoping again to see the dance, and
expecting the Little Ones to sleep through it, I had made them leave a
wide space in the middle. I lay down among them, with Lona by my side,
but did not sleep.

The night came, and suddenly the company was there. I was wondering with
myself whether, night after night, they would thus go on dancing to all
eternity, and whether I should not one day have to join them because of
my stiff-neckedness, when the eyes of the children came open, and they
sprang to their feet, wide awake. Immediately every one caught hold of
a dancer, and away they went, bounding and skipping. The spectres seemed
to see and welcome them: perhaps they knew all about the Little Ones,
for they had themselves long been on their way back to childhood!
Anyhow, their innocent gambols must, I thought, bring refreshment t