delay no longer, I beseech thee!--do I not love thee, friend?--and
would I urge thee thus without good reason? O thou misguided soul!
thou dost most ignorantly court destruction, but if my strength
can shield thee, thou shalt not die before thy time!"

And he hurried his pace, half leading, half carrying the reluctant
poet, who, however, was too drowsy and lethargic to do more than
feebly resent his action,--and thus they went together along a
broad path that seemed to extend itself in a direct line straight
across the grounds, but which in reality turned and twisted about
through all manner of perplexing nooks and corners,--now under
trees so closely interwoven that not a glimpse of the sky could be
seen through the dense darkness of the crossed boughs,--now by
gorgeous banks of roses, pale yellow and white, that looked like
frozen foam in the dying glitter of the moon,--now beneath fairy-
light trellis work, overgrown with jasamine, and peopled by
thousands of dancing fire-flies,--while at every undulating bend
or sharp angle in the road, Theos's heart beat quickly in fear
lest they should meet some armed retainer or spy of Lysia's, who
might interrupt their progress, or perhaps peremptorily forbid
their departure. Nothing of the kind happened, or seemed likely to
happen,--the splendid gardens were all apparently deserted,--and
not a living soul was anywhere to be seen. Presently through an
archway of twisted magnolia stems, Theos caught a glimpse of the
illuminated pool with the marble nymph in its centre which had so
greatly fascinated him on his first arrival,--and he pressed
forward eagerly, knowing that now they could not be very far from
the gates of exit. All at once the tall figure of a man clad in
complete armor came into sudden view between some heavily drooping
boughs,--it stood out for a second, and then hurriedly