from end to end of a great hall. At the farther extremity of
this hall, approaching slowly towards him, Cadmus beheld a
female figure, wonderfully beautiful, and adorned with a royal
robe, and a crown of diamonds over her golden ringlets, and the
richest necklace that ever a queen wore. His heart thrilled
with delight. He fancied it his long-lost sister Europa, now
grown to womanhood, coming to make him happy, and to repay him
with her sweet sisterly affection, for all those weary
wonderings in quest of her since he left King Agenor's
palace--for the tears that he had shed, on parting with
Phoenix, and Cilix, and Thasus--for the heart-breakings that
had made the whole world seem dismal to him over his dear
mother's grave.

But, as Cadmus advanced to meet the beautiful stranger, he saw
that her features were unknown to him, although, in the little
time that it required to tread along the hall, he had already
felt a sympathy betwixt himself and her.

"No, Cadmus," said the same voice that had spoken to him in the
field of the armed men, "this is not that dear sister Europa
whom you have sought so faithfully all over the wide world.
This is Harmonia, a daughter of the sky, who is given you
instead of sister, and brothers, and friend, and mother. You
will find all those dear ones in her alone."

So King Cadmus dwelt in the palace, with his new friend
Harmonia, and found a great deal of comfort in his magnificent
abode, but would doubtless have found as much, if not more, in
the humblest cottage by the wayside. Before many years went by,