says I, "madam, what I tell you is strictly true; I never was near the summit of any of the surrounding rocks or anything like it; but as you are not far from the verge of the wood, be so good as to step a little further, and I will show you my entrance in hither." "Well" says she, "now this odious dazzle of light is lessened, I do not care if I do go with you." When we came far enough to see the bridge, "There, madam,” says I, " there is my entrance, where the sea pours into this lake from yonder cavern." "It is not possible," says she; "this is another untruth; and as I see you would deceive me and are not to be believed, farewell, I must be gone. But hold," says she, "let me ask you one thing more, that is, by what means did you come through that cavern? you could not have used to have come over the rock." "Bless me, madam," says I, "do you think I and my boat could fly? Come over the rock, did you say? No, madam, I sailed from the great sea, the main ocean, in my boat, through that cavern into this very lake here.” "What do you mean by your boat?" says she; "you seem to make two things of your boat you say you sailed with, and yourself." "I do so," replied I, "for, madam, I take myself to be good flesh and blood, but my boat is made of wood and other materials." "Is it so ?" she; says 66 and pray where is this boat that is made of wood and other materials? under your jacket?" "Lord, madam," says I, "you put me in fear that you were angry, but now I hope you only joke with me; what, put a boat under my jacket! no, madam, my boat is in the lake." "What! more untruths ?" says she. No, madam," I replied; "if you would be satisfied of what I say, every word of which is as true as that my boat now is in the lake, pray walk with me thither, and make your own eyes judges what sincerity I speak with." To this she 66 agreed, it growing dusky; but assured me, if I did not give her good satisfaction, I should see her no more. and We arrived at the lake, and going to my wet dock, "Now, madam," says I, "pray satisfy yourself whether I spake true or not." She looked at my boat, but could not yet frame a proper notion of it. Says I, "Madam, in this very boat I sailed from the main sea through that very cavern into this lake; and shall at last think myself the happiest of all men, if you continue with me, love me, credit me; and I promise you I will never deceive you, but think my life happily spent in your service." I found she was hardly content yet to believe what I told her of my boat to be true, until I stepped into it, and pushing from the shore, took my oars in my hand, and sailed along the lake by her as she walked on the shore. At last she seemed so well reconciled to me and my boat, that she desired I would take her in. I immediately did so, and we sailed a good way; and as we returned to my dock, I described to her how I procured the water we drank, and brought it to shore in that vessel. "Well," says she, " I have sailed, as you call it, many a mile in my lifetime, but never in such a thing as this. I own it will serve very well where one has a great many things to carry from place to place; but to be labouring thus at an oar when one intends pleasure in sailing, is, in my mind, a most ridiculous piece of slavery." "Why, pray, madam, how would you have me sail; for getting into the boat only will not carry us this way or that, without using some force." "But," says she, "pray where did you get this boat, as you call it?" "Oh! madam," says I, "that is too long and fatal a story to begin upon now; this boat was made many thousand miles from hence, among a people coal black, a quite different sort from us; and when I first had it, I little thought of seeing this country; but I will make a faithful relation of all to you when we come home." Indeed I began to wish heartily we were there, for it grew into the night; and having strolled so far without my gun, I was afraid of what I had before seen and heard, and hinted our return; but I found my motion was disagreeable to her, and so I dropped it. I now perceived, and wondered at it, that the later it grew, the more agreeable it seemed to her; and as I had now brought her into a good humour again by seeing and sailing in my boat, I was not willing to prevent its increase. I told her, if she pleased we would land, and when I had docked my boat, I would accompany her where and as long as she liked. As we talked and walked by the lake, she made a little run before me, and jumped into it. Perceiving this, I cried out; whereupon she merrily called on me to follow her. The light was then so dim as prevented my having more than a confused sight of her, when she jumped in; and looking earnestly after her, I could discern nothing more than a small boat on the water, which skimmed along at so great a rate that I almost lost sight of it presently; but running along the shore for fear of losing her, I met her gravely walking to meet me, and then had entirely lost sight of the boat on the lake. This," says she, accosting me with a smile, " is my way of sailing, which I perceive by he fright you were in, you are altogether unacquainted with; and as you tell me you came from so many thousand miles off, it is possible you may be made differently from me; but surely we are the part of the creation which has had most care bestowed upon it; and I suspect from all your discourse, to which I have been very attentive, it is possible you may no more be able to fly than to sail as I do." "No, charming creature," says I, "that I cannot, I will assure you." She then, stepping to the edge of the lake, for the advantage of a descent before her, sprang up into the air, and away she went, further than my eyes could follow her. I was quite astonished. So, says I, then all is over, all a delusion which I have so long been in, a mere phantom! better had it been for me never to have seen her, than thus to lose her again. But what could I expect had she staid? for it is plain she is no human composition. But, says I, she felt like flesh too, when I lifted her out at the door. I had but very little time for reflection; for in about ten minutes after she had left me in this mixture of grief and amazement, she alighted just by me on her feet. Her return, as she plainly saw, filled me with a transport not to be concealed, and which, as she afterwards told me, was very agreeable to her. Indeed, I was some moments in such an agitation of mind, from these unparalleled incidents, that I was like one thunderstruck; but coming presently to myself, and clasping her in my arms with as much love and passion as I was capable of expressing, " Are you returned again, kind angel," said I," to bless a wretch who can only be happy in adoring you? Can it be that you, who have so many advantages over me, should quit all the pleasures that nature has formed you for, and all your friends and relations, to take an asylum in my arms? But I here make you a tender of all I am able to bestow-my love and constancy." "Come, come," says she, no more raptures. I find you are a worthier man than I thought I had reason to take you for; and I beg your pardon for my distrust, whilst I was ignorant of your perfections; but now I verily believe all you said is true; and I promise you, as you have seemed so much to delight in me, I will never quit you, till death or other as fatal accident shall part us. But we will now, if you choose, go home; for 66 |