Page:The Enchanted Knights; or The Chronicle of the Three Sisters.djvu/70

58 steed was so even and correct that it seemed barely to touch the ground, lightly leaping over ditches and hedges, with such speed that the most expert horsemen could not follow me. Meeting a white hart, during the chase, I followed it, and entering deeply into the forest separated from my companions. My palfrey refused then to obey, pranced, shook its mane and grew wild. I tried to curb it, but at this moment I perceived with horror, that the horse was suddenly transformed into a feathered monster; its fore legs changed into a pair of wings, its neck grew longer, and to its head a long beak was added. I saw myself upon a long-legged hippogriph, who soared in the air, and in less than an hour descended with me in this forest at the steel gate of an old castle.

“My fright increased when I beheld the same equerry, who had presented me with the palfrey, respectfully approaching to assist me in dismounting. Bewildered by fear and anger I allowed myself to be conducted in silence through a multitude of state rooms to a company of ladies in full dress. All of them endeavoured to assist and to please me, but none would tell me in whose power or where I was. In mute sorrow, a prey to tears, I was soon inter-