could not help looking rather despondently at
his bare foot, with only a remnant of the golden
string of the sandal clinging round his ankle.

"You will get a handsomer pair of sandals
oy and by," said the old woman, with a kindly
look out of her beautiful brown eyes. "Only
let King Pelias get a glimpse of that bare foot,
and you shall see him turn as pale as ashes, I
promise you. There is your path. Go along,
my good Jason, and my blessing go with you.
And when you sit on your throne, remember the
old woman whom you helped over the river."

With these words, she hobbled away, giving
him a smile over her shoulder as she departed.
Whether the light of her beautiful brown eyes
threw a glory round about her, or whatever the
cause might be, Jason fancied that there was
something very noble and majestic in her figure,
after all, and that, though her gait seemed to be
a rheumatic hobble, yet she moved with as much
grace and dignity as any queen on earth. Her
peacock, which had now fluttered down from her
shoulder, strutted behind her in prodigious pomp,
and spread out its magnificent tail on purpose
for Jason to admire it.

[[282]]

p281 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p282w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p283

v?