floating by unheeded, and saw that her hand stretched low, and could not
gather what it sought. A stroke from his right brought him beside her.
The damsel glanced up dismayed, and her whole shape trembled over the
brink. Richard sprang from his boat into the water. Pressing a hand
beneath her foot, which she had thrust against the crumbling wet sides of
the bank to save herself, he enabled her to recover her balance, and gain
safe earth, whither he followed her.




CHAPTER XV

He had landed on an island of the still-vexed Bermoothes. The world lay
wrecked behind him: Raynham hung in mists, remote, a phantom to the vivid
reality of this white hand which had drawn him thither away thousands of
leagues in an eye-twinkle. Hark, how Ariel sang overhead! What
splendour in the heavens! What marvels of beauty about his enchanted
brows! And, O you wonder! Fair Flame! by whose light the glories of
being are now first seen....Radiant Miranda! Prince Ferdinand is at your
feet.

Or is it Adam, his rib taken from his side in sleep, and thus
transformed, to make him behold his Paradise, and lose it?...

The youth looked on her with as glowing an eye. It was the First Woman
to him.

And she--mankind was all Caliban to her, saving this one princely youth.