the steps into the grass! But I am afraid she will be grown up before
I shall see her again. Why could I not have been contented with all
that happy life? But I had heard there was a great castle beyond the
lake, in which dwelt a beautiful lady, and I dreamed of that lady day
and night. When I went in the morning to bathe in the lake, and the
waves, all golden in the sunrise, broke softly over my feet, I fancied
they had brought me a message from her; and at evening I would lie
down among the tall grasses, and gaze over the sunset waters, longing
to follow the light to her castle door, whence I thought it shone.

The lake was so wide I could not see the other shore; but I knew that
the road which passed our house ran all around it, and I often walked
a long way upon it, hoping to reach the castle.

One day, when I had strayed far from home, a coach, all glittering in
its swiftness, came sweeping by. "O, take me in, take me in!" I
exclaimed; and in a moment I was sitting beside a lady richly arrayed,
and we were speeding on. The lady did not speak to me, but gazed out
of the window, so that I could only see the veil, that fell around her
like shimmering mist. Thus we drove on and on, and every thing passed
us so swiftly that I could see nothing distinctly. Indeed, I did not
look out much, but turned towards the lady, hoping to catch a glimpse
of her beautiful face.

At length we stopped before a strange, dark building, that seemed to
rise up into the very sky. "Can this be the castle I have so longed
for?" I thought in surprise. High steps led to the entrance, and on
each side stood a lion with a woman's head, carved in stone. The door
opened silently, and we entered into a marble hall, and went up broad
marble stairs.