at a distance, while he ascended the palace
steps.

On entering the hall, Ulysses saw the magic
fountain in the centre of it. The up-gushing
water had now again taken the shape of a man
in a long, white, fleecy robe, who appeared to be
making gestures of welcome. The king like-
wise heard the noise of the shuttle in the loom,
and the sweet melody of the beautiful woman's
song, and then the pleasant voices of herself and
the four maidens talking together, with peals- of
merry laughter intermixed. But Ulysses did not
waste much time in listening to the laughter or
the song. He leaned his spear against one of the
pillars of the hall, and then, after loosening his
sword in the scabbard, stepped boldly forward,
and threw the folding doors wide open. The
moment she beheld his stately figure standing'
in the doorway, the beautiful woman rose from
the loom, and ran to meet him with a glad smile
throwing its sunshine over her face, and both hei
hands extended.

"Welcome, brave stranger!" cried she. "We
were expecting you."

And the nymph with the sea-green hat?? made

[[201]]

p200 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p201w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p202

v?