A STRANGE WELCOME.
When Daphne awoke from her trance, she found herself lying on a couch
in a luxurious apartment looking on to a beautiful garden. The scene
was peaceful in the highest degree. The sun was high in the heavens,
and the air was laden with sweet odours. Strange coloured birds flitted
through the trees, and seemed quite fearless.
For some time Daphne lay drowsily looking at the garden, hardly
conscious of the journey she had made. The past seemed a dream, and
the present a dream within a dream. At last her curiosity led her to
examine the details of her chamber, and she rose up. Hardly had she
done so, when she heard in an ante-room at the farther end a clamour
of voices as soft and thin as those of little children, and yet with
a strange resemblance to those of grown people in the fulness and
quickness of the articulation.
Suddenly, through the opening of the curtain which half concealed the
aperture, a troop of tiny little people rushed and ran up to Daphne,
kissed the ground before her, and then stood still, as if waiting for
her commands. She then saw they were really men and women of the true
pigmy race. They were finely shaped, and had pretty, well-cut features,
and without exception the most pleasant of countenances. They looked
up to her just like dogs waiting for some notice to be taken of them,
with glances full of suppressed friendliness. It was very gratifying
to her, after the strange dangers through which she had passed, to meet
with such spontaneous affection from the little people. At a venture
she spoke to them in Greek, and asked for food and water, and one of
them immediately gave orders to the rest in the same old Greek dialect
which Thoth had used.
In a very short time a table was covered with all kinds of delicacies.
The pigmies, Daphne observed, were very strong, and with incredible
agility they avoided any inconveniences due to their smallness of
stature, leaping on one another’s shoulders, and climbing with the
agility of monkeys.
As soon as Daphne had finished her repast, her little servants
conducted her through a series of apartments, all appointed in a very
elegant manner, and they showed her with pride everything which seemed
to them most beautiful and useful. They watched with evident glee,
and yet in a perfectly deferential manner, for her surprise when they
revealed some new wonder.
Her greatest desire, however, was to know who the little men and women
were, and this wish was only gratified to a very small extent. Their
position seemed to them so natural, that they did not understand the
meaning of her questions. In each answer everything seemed to depend
on Thoth. To say that Thoth had commanded such and such a thing,
seemed to them final. They could no more explain why they obeyed and
revered Thoth as an altogether superior being, than they could say why
the sun gave light, or a stone fell to the earth. One thing alone was
quite clear—they were absolutely under the sway of Thoth, and yet
the relationship was one of thorough love and confidence. They had
evidently been told to treat Daphne in the same manner, and they did so
with the greatest joyfulness. They were indeed models of affectionate
servants, and examples of perfect obedience.
The admiration of the pigmies for Daphne was immensely increased when
another of their tribe entered, and in an obsequious manner asked her
if she would permit Thoth to pay her a visit, or if she would prefer
to rest and recover her spirits. The little people were evidently
amazed that she should be treated by Thoth with such respect, but they
were too well trained to have any doubt as to its being right. It was
Thoth’s message, and that was enough for their simple, affectionate
hearts.
Daphne was anxious to see her preserver. The vague sense of fear
which hitherto his presence had always aroused was dissipated by the
atmosphere of kindly veneration in which the pigmies lived. Thoth, she
thought, could not be very terrible when he was regarded with so much
affection by these childlike men and women.
On the contrary, he must be a kind and gentle master, in spite of the
example he had given her of his violence at their first meeting.
Accordingly, Daphne answered with alacrity that she would be glad to
receive her host, and immediately after Thoth entered and saluted her
with profound respect.
Yet in spite of herself, a shudder passed through the maiden. She
looked through his eyes, but could not see his thoughts. She was not
afraid of any treachery or violence. She believed his respect was real,
and yet a nameless, causeless dread seized her for the moment. The
little people, however, showed such undoubted pleasure at being in
his company that Daphne’s anxiety vanished, and she ascribed her fear
simply to the strangeness of the situation.
* * * * *
Thoth lost no time in explaining the reason of his visit. He dismissed
the little servants, and reminded Daphne, with all the calmness and
dignity of an experienced ambassador, of the real object of her
journey. He repeated again and again that no pressure of any kind would
be put upon her, and that after she had become acquainted with the city
and its people and governors, if she did not like to remain and to form
a queenly alliance, she would be conveyed back to any place she chose.
In the meantime she was at liberty to use the apartments and gardens as
she pleased, and whenever she wished she could explore the city under
his guidance.
“Tell me,” she said, “is this the land of the pigmies, and art thou the
king?”
“I am not the king; yet in truth I might call myself vice-regent,
and say that I have all the power of the king. As for the people,
presently, methinks, thou wilt wonder if this is the land of giants.”
“Will the giants be as friendly as the pigmies? Perchance they will
frighten me. Are they huge and dreadful like Polyphemus?”
“Nay,” he replied; “though I said giants, they are indeed but
full-grown men. Believe once for all that in all our land there is
nothing magical or contrary to nature. Thou wilt find the giants as
docile and amiable as the pigmies, but their duties are different. Come
with me and see them; and it will be more pleasant for thee if thou
will assume a disguise such as mine.”
Thoth then put on a mask, and wrapped himself round in an ample
garment. Daphne did the same; and but for being a little shorter in
height, she seemed indistinguishable from her guide. Thus they sallied
forth to view the city.
Thoth carried in his hand a golden staff richly ornamented with
sparkling gems.