Page:Singular adventures of Sir Gawen, and the enchanted castle.pdf/19

19 the wood, and floating on the bosom of the air a Being of the most delicate form; from his shoulders streamed a tunic of the tenderest blue his wings and feet were clothed in downy silver and in his grasp he had a wand, white as the mountain snow. He rose swiftly in the air his brilliance became excessive from the lunar rays, his song echoed through the vault of night, but having quickly diminished to the size and appearance of the evening star. it died away, and the next moment he was loft in aether. Sir Gawen still fixed his eye on that part of the heavens where the vision had disappeared and shortly had the pleasure of again seeing the star-like radience which in an instant unfolded itself into the full and fine dimensions of the beauteous Being, who having collected dew from the cold va es of Saturn, now descended rapidly towards the earth and waving his wand as he passed athwart the woods a number of like form and garb flew round him and all alighting on the lawn, separated at equal distances on its circumferance, and the shaking their wings, which spread a perfume through the air, burst into one general song. Sir Gawen who apprehensive of being discovered, had retreated within the shadow of some mossy oaks now waited with eager expectation the event of so singular a