poor knight Paris to fly from her?"

"Tell me at once what happened next," stammered Sintram.

"The sorceress acted honourably towards Paris," continued the old
man. "She declared to him that if he would carry away the lovely
duchess to his own city Troy, he might do so, and thus cause the ruin
of his whole house and of his country; but that during ten years he
would be able to defend himself in Troy, and rejoice in the sweet
love of Helen."

"And he accepted those terms, or he was a fool!" cried the youth.

"To be sure he accepted them," whispered the little Master. "I would
have done so in his place! And do you know, young sir, the look of
things then was just as they are happening to-day. The newly-risen
moon, partly veiled by clouds, was shining dimly through the thick
branches of the trees in the silence of evening. Leaning against an
old tree, as you now are doing, stood the young enamoured knight
Paris, and at his side the enchantress Venus, but so disguised and
transformed, that she did not look much more beautiful than I do.
And by the silvery light of the moon, the form of the beautiful
beloved one was seen sweeping by alone amidst the whispering boughs."
He was silent, and like as in the mirror of his deluding words,
Gabrielle just then actually herself appeared, musing as she walked
alone down the alley of elms.

"Man,--fearful Master,--by what name shall I call you? To what would
you drive me?" muttered the trembling Sintram.