grey columns broke into fairy lights. And the moon left the dark ways of
the forest and lit the whole white palace and its fountains and shone on
the forehead of the Princess, and the palace of Arizim glowed afar, and
the fountains became columns of gleaming jewels and song. And the moon
made a music at its rising, but it fell a little short of mortal ears. And
Hilnaric stood there wondering, clad in white, with the moonlight shining
on her forehead; and watching her from the shadows on the terrace stood
the kings of Mondath and Toldees. They said:

"She is more beautiful than the moonrise." And on another day the King of
Arizim bade his daughter forth at dawn, and they stood again upon the
balcony. And the sun came up over a world of orchards, and the sea-mists
went back over Poltarnees to the Sea; little wild voices arose in all the
thickets, the voices of the fountains began to die, and the song arose, in
all the marble temples, of the birds that are sacred to the Sea. And
Hilnaric stood there, still glowing with dreams of heaven.

"She is more beautiful," said the kings, "than morning."

Yet one more trial they made of Hilnaric's beauty, for they watched her on
the terraces at sunset ere yet the petals of the orchards had fallen, and
all along the edge of neighbouring woods the rhododendron was blooming
with the azalea. And the sun went down under craggy Poltarnees, and the
sea-mist poured over his summit inland. And the marble temples stood up
clear in the evening, but films of twilight were drawn between the
mountain and the city. Then from the Temple ledges and eaves of palaces
the bats fell headlong downwards, then spread their wings and floated up
and down through darkening ways; lights came blinking out in golden
windows, men cloaked themselves against the grey sea-mist, the sound of
small songs arose, and the face of Hilnaric became a resting-place for