three.

"There never was a path, not even, we fear, for a traveller on foot,"
continued the second.

I waited in silence a moment. "Forgive me, then," I said; "I will
offend no longer."

But this seemed far from their design.

"You see, being come," began the fairest again, "Julia thinks Fortune
must have brought you. Are we not all between Fortune's finger and
thumb?"

"If pinching is to prove anything," said the other.

"And Fortune is fickle, too," added Julia--"that's early wisdom; but
not quite so fickle as you would wish to show her. Here we have sat in
these mortal glades ever since our poor Herrick died. And here it
seems we are like to sit till he rises again. It is all so--dubious.
But since Electra has invited you to rest awhile, will you not really
rest? There is shade as deep, and fruit to refresh you, in a little
arbour yonder. Perhaps even Anthea will dip out of her weeping awhile
if she hears that ... a poor old thirsty horse is tethered in the
woods."

They rose up together with a prolonged rustling as of a peacock
displaying his plumes; and I found myself irretrievably their captive.

Moreover, even if they were but sylphs and fantasies of the morning,