arranging his hands as before, shouted loudly, "Pirlaps, this is Sara,
a little girl! Sara, this is Pirlaps, Avrillia's step-husband!" Then
he sprang down and went running down the path again, shouting
excitedly, "See you again, Sara! See you again!"

"Well, Sara," said the pleasant fairy-gentleman, taking her hand, "how
are you? Did you come to see Avrillia?"

"Yes, sir," said Sara, looking up at him from under her lashes and
thinking she had never see a shaving-person, except her own father, so
delightful.

"I think you'll find her on her balcony," said Pirlaps, kindly. "I
just heard a poem drop over the Verge. Here, Yassuh," he said, "take
this little girl to your mistress."

Sara followed Yassuh along the path of silver gravel that led around
the house, and then up a little outside staircase of marble to the
balcony; and there, on the third step from the top, she paused.

Has any mortal but Sara ever seen Avrillia? Certainly there never was
another fairy so wan and wild and beautiful. When Sara caught sight of
her she was leaning over the marble balustrade, looking down into
Nothing, and one hand was still stretched out as if it had just let
something fall. She seemed to be still watching its descent. Her body,
as she leaned, was like a reed, and her hair was pale-gold and cloudy.
But all that was nothing beside Avrillia's eyes.

For she turned around after a while and saw Sara, and smiled at her
without surprise, though she looked absent-minded and wistful.