Page:The Diothas, or, A far look ahead (IA diothasorfarlook01macn).pdf/192



Soon after the arrival of Hulmar and his daughter, we all took our places in the curricles, and set out for the place of meeting. When Ulmene took the seat by her husband's side, I entertained, for a moment, the hope that Ialma would take a seat beside her prospective father; and then Reva—but such half-formed expectations were scattered by a moment's reflection. That was out of the question. As it was, each of the young ladies took one of the children to fill the spare seat in her curricle. Hulmar was thus left to seek a seat beside me, which was offered and accepted as a matter of course.

There was small opportunity for conversation on the way. The whole population seemed to be on wheels. So attractive was the spectacle, that, could I have found a pretext for so doing, I would fain have intrusted to my companion the guidance of the vehicle, so that I could give myself to the enjoyment of the many-hued panorama that moved on flashing wheels beneath the cloudless July sun. We had soon lost sight of the rest of the party, but there could be no doubt as to the road to follow. All that was necessary was, to follow the stream. As might