to stretco tance.  Nor

    the

    extreme end of ttle figure ching him.  his

    trembled, a cry of joy broke from

    into t.  As  also, and he

    sa plainly.

    ta!  It er, t grotesque monster he had

    ever be properly s

    h huge lolling head and mane of

    black tle Der frowned

    also.   laugs o

    its sides, just as  a mocking bow,

    and it returned  to, and it

    came to meet ep t opping when

    opped ed , and ran forward,

    and reac er touched his,

    and it was as cold as ice.  he grew afraid, and moved his hand

    across, and ters  quickly.  ried to

    press on, but sometopped he face of

    ter o error.

    imitated ruck at

    it, and it returned blo made

    retreated.

    is it?   for a moment, and looked round at t

    of t range, but everyto s

    double in ter.  Yes, picture for

    picture ed, and couc

    lay in ts t

    slumbered, and t stood in t

    o a Venus as lovely as herself.

    as it Eco he valley, and she had

    answered he eye, as she mocked

    t like the real world?

    Could t?

    Could it be t - ?

    arted, and taking from  tiful we rose, he

    turned round, and kissed it.  ter s own,

    petal for petal t kissed it h like kisses, and

    pressed it to its  ures.

    ruth dawned upon him, he gave a wild cry of despair, and

    fell sobbing to t was he who was misshapen and

    o look at and grotesq