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- 2026-01-30T20:48:09.931Z
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- CHAPTER LXXXIX.
They Enter The Bower Of Hautia
Conducted to the arbor, from which the queen had emerged, we came to a
sweet-brier bower within; and reclined upon odorous mats.
Then, in citron cups, sherbet of tamarinds was offered to Media, Mohi,
Yoomy; to me, a nautilus shell, brimmed with a light-like fluid, that
welled, and welled like a fount.
“Quaff, Taji, quaff! every drop drowns a thought!”
Like a blood-freshet, it ran through my veins.
A philter?—How Hautia burned before me! Glorious queen! with all the
radiance, lighting up the equatorial night.
“Thou art most magical, oh queen! about thee a thousand constellations
cluster.”
“They blaze to burn,” whispered Mohi.
“I see ten million Hautias!—all space reflects her, as a mirror.”
Then, in reels, the damsels once more mazed, the blossoms shaking from
their brows; till Hautia, glided near; arms lustrous as rainbows:
chanting some wild invocation.
My soul ebbed out; Yillah there was none! but as I turned round open-
armed, Hautia vanished.
“She is deeper than the sea,” said Media.
“Her bow is bent,” said Yoomy.
“I could tell wonders of Hautia and her damsels,” said Mohi.
“What wonders?”
“Listen; and in his own words will I recount the adventure of the youth
Ozonna. It will show thee, Taji, that the maidens of Hautia are all
Yillahs, held captive, unknown to themselves; and that Hautia, their
enchantress, is the most treacherous of queens.
“‘Camel-like, laden with woe,’ said Ozonna, ‘after many wild rovings in
quest of a maiden long lost—beautiful Ady! and after being repelled in
Maramma; and in vain hailed to land at Serenia, represented as naught
but another Maramma;—with vague promises of discovering Ady, three
sirens, who long had pursued, at last inveigled me to Flozella; where
Hautia made me her thrall. But ere long, in Rea, one of her maidens, I
thought I discovered my Ady transformed. My arms opened wide to
embrace; but the damsel knew not Ozonna. And even, when after hard
wooing, I won her again, she seemed not lost Ady, but Rea. Yet all the
while, from deep in her strange, black orbs, Ady’s blue eyes seemed
pensively looking:—blue eye within black: sad, silent soul within
merry. Long I strove, by fixed ardent gazing, to break the spell, and
restore in Rea my lost one’s Past. But in vain. It was only Rea, not
Ady, who at stolen intervals looked on me now. One morning Hautia
started as she greeted me; her quick eye rested on my bosom; and
glancing there, affrighted, I beheld a distinct, fresh mark, the
impress of Rea’s necklace drop. Fleeing, I revealed what had passed to
the maiden, who broke from my side; as I, from Hautia’s. The queen
summoned her damsels, but for many hours the call was unheeded; and
when at last they came, upon each bosom lay a necklace-drop like Rea’s.
On the morrow, lo! my arbor was strown over with bruised Linden-leaves,
exuding a vernal juice. Full of forbodings, again I sought Rea: who,
casting down her eyes, beheld her feet stained green. Again she fled;
and again Hautia summoned her damsels: malicious triumph in her eye;
but dismay succeeded: each maid had spotted feet. That night Rea was
torn from my side by three masks; who, stifling her cries, rapidly bore
her away; and as I pursued, disappeared in a cave. Next morning, Hautia
was surrounded by her nymphs, but Rea was absent. Then, gliding near,
she snatched from my hair, a jet-black tress, loose-hanging. ‘Ozonna is
the murderer! See! Rea’s torn hair entangled with his!’ Aghast, I swore
that I knew not her fate. ‘Then let the witch Larfee be called!’ The
maidens darted from the bower; and soon after, there rolled into it a
green cocoa-nut, followed by the witch, and all the damsels, flinging
anemones upon it. Bowling this way and that, the nut at last rolled to
my feet.—‘It is he!’ cried all.—Then they bound me with osiers; and at
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