Aphrodite: Book Two: Chapter Seven. The Enchanted Lyre

HE walked rapidly in the hope of finding Chrysis still upon the road which led to the town, fearing, if he delayed longer, lest he again lose his courage and desire.

The road, white with heat, was so bright that Demetrios closed his eyes as in the noonday sun. He went thus without looking before him and nearly collided with four black slaves who walked at the head of a new procession, when a little, singing voice said, softly:

"Well-Beloved! how glad I am!"

He raised his head; it was Queen Berenice reclining on her elbow in her litter.

She ordered:

"Stop, bearers!" and held out her arms to her lover. Demetrios was much annoyed; but he could not refuse and he ascended with a sulky air.

Then Queen Berenice, mad with joy, drew herself on her hands to the depths of the litter, and rolled among the cushions like a playful kitten.

For this litter was a room and twenty-five slaves carried it. Twelve women could lie in it at ease, scattered upon the dull blue rug among the cushions and stuffs; and its height was such that

She turned toward him and kissed him. The two fan-bearers crouched a little farther away and when Queen Berenice began to speak very low, put their fingers to their ears to make a pretense of not hearing.

Demetrios did not reply, scarcely listened, remained abstracted. He saw, of the young queen, only the scarlet smile of her mouth and the black cushion of her hair which she always dressed loosely as a rest for her languid head.

She said, "Well-Beloved, I have wept in the night. My arms moved to caress thee, but my hand found nowhere thy hand

He leaned nonchalantly on his elbow and said, in a very natural voice, "The idea of a tale has come to me."

"Once upon a time, long before Thrace had been conquered by thy father's ancestors, it was inhabited by wild animals and a few terrified men.

"The animals were very beautiful; there were lions ruddy as the sun, tigers striped like the evening and bears black as night.

"Then men were small and flat-nosed, covered with old shabby skins, armed with clumsy lances and ungraceful bows. They dwelt in holes in the mountains closed with monstrous blocks

"He wore a long white robe which dragged a little behind him. He loved to wander at night in the moonlight, through the soft clearings of the woods, holding in his hand a little tortoise-shell fin which were planted two auroch's horns between which three silver cords were stretched.

"When his fingers touched the cords, a delicious music passed from them, much softer than the sound of springs or the phrases of the wind in the trees or the movements of wheat. The first time he played, three sleeping tigers awoke, so prodigiously charmed that they did him no harm, but approached as near as they could and withdrew when he ceased. The next day there were yet more of them, and wolves, and hyenas, and serpents erect upon their tails.

"So that, after a very short time, the animals came themselves to beg him to play for them. It often happened that a single bear came to him and went away contented with three marvelous chords. In return for his complaisances, the wild beasts gave him food and protected hint from the men.

"But he tired of this fastidious life. He became so sure of his

"For an hour he played before her; but afterwards he broke his lyre and lived as though he were dead."

She began to weep. "I was sure of it! I was sure of it!"

He laid her like a child upon her yielding bed of soft stuffs, smilingly placed a kiss upon her unhappy eyes, and descended calmly from the great moving litter.