t--beautiful Ady! and after being
repelled in Maramma; and in vain hailed to land at Serenia,
represented as naught but another Maramma;--with vague promises of
discovering Ady, three sirens, who long had pursued, at last inveigled
me to Flozella; where Hautia made me her thrall. But ere long, in Rea,
one of her maidens, I thought I discovered my Ady transformed. My arms
opened wide to embrace; but the damsel knew not Ozonna. And even, when
after hard wooing, I won her again, she seemed not lost Ady, but Rea.
Yet all the while, from deep in her strange, black orbs, Ady's blue
eyes seemed pensively looking:--blue eye within black: sad, silent
soul within merry. Long I strove, by fixed ardent gazing, to break the
spell, and restore in Rea my lost one's Past. But in vain. It was only
Rea, not Ady, who at stolen intervals looked on me now. One morning
Hautia started as she greeted me; her quick eye rested on my bosom;
and glancing there, affrighted, I beheld a distinct, fresh mark, the
impress of Rea's necklace drop. Fleeing, I revealed what had passed to
the maiden, who broke from my side; as I, from Hautia's. The queen
summoned her damsels, but for many hours the call was unheeded; and
when at last they came, upon each bosom lay a necklace-drop like
Rea's. On the morrow, lo! my arbor was strown over with bruised
Linden-leaves, exuding a vernal juice. Full of forbodings, again I
sought Rea: who, casting down her eyes, beheld her feet stained green.
Again she fled; and again Hautia summoned her damsels: malicious
triumph in her eye; but dismay succeeded: each maid had spotted feet.
That night Rea was torn from my side by three masks; who, stifling her
cries, rapidly bore her away; and as I pursued, disappeared in a cave.
Next morning, Hautia was surrounded by her nymphs, but Rea was absent.
Then, gliding near, she snatched from my hair, a jet-black tress,
loose-hanging. 'Ozonna is the murderer! See! Rea's torn hair entangled
with his!' Aghast, I swore that I knew not her fate. 'Then let the
witch Larfee be called!' The maidens darted from the bower; and soon
after, there rolled into it a green cocoa-nut, followed by the witch,
and all the damsels, flinging anemones upon it. Bowling this way and
that, the nut at last rolled to my feet.--'It is he!' cried all.--Then
they bound me with osiers; and at midnight, unseen and irresistible
hands placed me in a shallop; which sped far out into the lagoon,
where they tossed me to the w