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.Long-billedheads, horribly jawed faces, knotty tentacles innumerable, went outafter Lilith.She lay in an agony of fear, nor dared stir a finger.Whether the hideous things even saw the children, I doubt; certainlynot one of them touched a child; not one loathly member passed thelive rampart of her body-guard, to lay hold of her."Little Ones," I cried, "keep your elephants close about theprincess.Be brave; they will not touch you.""What will not touch us? We don't know what to be brave at!" theyanswered; and I perceived they were unaware of one of the deformitiesaround them."Never mind then," I returned; "only keep close."They were panoplied in their blindness! Incapacity to see was theirsafety.What they could nowise be aware of, could not hurt them.But the hideous forms I saw that night! Mara was a few paces infront of me when a solitary, bodiless head bounced on the pathbetween us.The leopardess came rushing under the elephants frombehind, and would have seized it, but, with frightful contortions ofvisage and a loathsome howl, it gave itself a rapid rotatory twist,sprang from her, and buried itself in the ground.The death in myarms assoiling me from fear, I regarded them all unmoved, althoughnever, sure, was elsewhere beheld such a crew accursed!Mara still went in front of me, and the leopardess now walked closebehind her, shivering often, for it was very cold, when suddenlythe ground before me to my left began to heave, and a low wave ofearth came slinking toward us.It rose higher as it drew hear; outof it slouched a dreadful head with fleshy tubes for hair, andopening a great oval mouth, snapped at me.The leopardess sprang,but fell baffled beyond it.Almost under our feet, shot up the head of an enormous snake, witha lamping wallowing glare in its eyes.Again the leopardess rushedto the attack, but found nothing.At a third monster she dartedwith like fury, and like failure--then sullenly ceased to heedthe phantom-horde.But I understood the peril and hastened thecrossing--the rather that the moon was carrying herself strangely.Even as she rose she seemed ready to drop and give up the attemptas hopeless; and since, I saw her sink back once fully her ownbreadth.The arc she made was very low, and now she had begun todescend rapidly.We were almost over, when, between us and the border of the basin,arose a long neck, on the top of which, like the blossom of someStygian lily, sat what seemed the head of a corpse, its mouth halfopen, and full of canine teeth.I went on; it retreated, then drewaside.The lady stepped on the firm land, but the leopardessbetween us, roused once more, turned, and flew at the throat ofthe terror.I remained where I was to see the elephants, with theprincess and the children, safe on the bank.Then I turned to lookafter the leopardess.That moment the moon went down, For an instantI saw the leopardess and the snake-monster convolved in a cloud ofdust; then darkness hid them.Trembling with fright, my horsewheeled, and in three bounds overtook the elephants.As we came up with them, a shapeless jelly dropped on the princess.A white dove dropped immediately on the jelly, stabbing it with itsbeak.It made a squelching, sucking sound, and fell off.Then Iheard the voice of a woman talking with Mara, and I knew the voice."I fear she is dead!" said Mara."I will send and find her," answered the mother."But why, Mara,shouldst thou at all fear for her or for any one? Death cannot hurther who dies doing the work given her to do.""I shall miss her sorely; she is good and wise.Yet I would nothave her live beyond her hour!""She has gone down with the wicked; she will rise with the righteous.We shall see her again ere very long.""Mother," I said, although I did not see her, "we come to you many,but most of us are Little Ones.Will you be able to receive us all?""You are welcome every one," she answered."Sooner or later allwill be little ones, for all must sleep in my house! It is wellwith those that go to sleep young and willing!--My husband is evennow preparing her couch for Lilith.She is neither young nor quitewilling, but it is well indeed that she is come."I heard no more.Mother and daughter had gone away together throughthe dark.But we saw a light in the distance, and toward it wewent stumbling over the moor.Adam stood in the door, holding the candle to guide us, and talkingwith his wife, who, behind him, laid bread and wine on the tablewithin."Happy children," I heard her say, "to have looked already on theface of my daughter! Surely it is the loveliest in the greatworld!"When we reached the door, Adam welcomed us almost merrily.He setthe candle on the threshold, and going to the elephants, would havetaken the princess to carry her in; but she repulsed him, andpushing her elephants asunder, stood erect between them.Theywalked from beside her, and left her with him who had been herhusband--ashamed indeed of her gaunt uncomeliness, but unsubmissive.He stood with a welcome in his eyes that shone through theirseverity."We have long waited for thee, Lilith!" he said.She returned him no answer.Eve and her daughter came to the door."The mortal foe of my children!" murmured Eve, standing radiant inher beauty."Your children are no longer in her danger," said Mara; "she hasturned from evil.""Trust her not hastily, Mara," answered her mother; "she has deceiveda multitude!""But you will open to her the mirror of the Law of Liberty, mother,that she may go into it, and abide in it! She consents to openher hand and restore: will not the great Father restore her toinheritance with His other children?""I do not know Him!" murmured Lilith, in a voice of fear and doubt."Therefore it is that thou art miserable," said Adam."I will go back whence I came!" she cried, and turned, wringing herhands, to depart."That is indeed what I would have thee do, where I would have theego--to Him from whom thou camest! In thy agony didst thou not cryout for Him?""I cried out for Death--to escape Him and thee!""Death is even now on his way to lead thee to Him.Thou knowestneither Death nor the Life that dwells in Death! Both befriend thee.I am dead, and would see thee dead, for I live and love thee.Thouart weary and heavy-laden: art thou not ashamed? Is not the beingthou hast corrupted become to thee at length an evil thing? Wouldstthou yet live on in disgrace eternal? Cease thou canst not: wiltthou not be restored and BE?"She stood silent with bowed head."Father," said Mara, "take her in thine arms, and carry her to hercouch.There she will open her hand, and die into life.""I will walk," said the princess.Adam turned and led the way.The princess walked feebly after himinto the cottage.Then Eve came out to me where I sat with Lona in my bosom.Shereached up her arms, took her from me, and carried her in.Idismounted, and the children also.The horse and the elephantsstood shivering; Mara patted and stroked them every one; they laydown and fell asleep.She led us into the cottage, and gave theLittle Ones of the bread and wine on the table.Adam and Lilithwere standing there together, but silent both.Eve came from the chamber of death, where she had laid Lona down,and offered of the bread and wine to the princess."Thy beauty slays me! It is death I would have, not food!" saidLilith, and turned from her."This food will help thee to die," answered Eve.But Lilith would not taste of it."If thou wilt nor eat nor drink, Lilith," said Adam, "come and seethe place where thou shalt lie in peace
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