Ulysses saw his two and twenty friends rep
esented as sitting on cushioned and canopied
thrones, greedily devouring dainties, and quaffing
deep draughts of wine. The work had not yet
gone any further. O, no, indeed. The enchan-
tress was far too cunning to let Ulysses see the
mischief which her magic arts had since brought
upon the gormandizers.

"As for yourself, valiant sir," said Circe,
"judging by the dignity of your aspect, I take
you to be nothing less than a king. Deign to
follow me, and you shall be treated as befits
your rank."

So Ulysses followed her into the oval saloon,
where his two and twenty comrades had de-
voured the banquet, which ended so disastrously
for themselves. But, all this while, he had held
the snow-white flower in his hand, and had con-
stantly smelt of it while Circe was speaking;
and as he crossed the threshold of the saloon, he
took good care to inhale several long and deep
snuffs of its fragrance. Instead of two and
twenty thrones, which had before been ranged
around the wall, there was now only a single
throne, in the centre of the apartment But this

[[203]]

p202 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p203w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p204

v?