at last； finding a convenient exposed root under a tree； on a spot where the ground was dry and strewn with loose yellow sand； I sat down and refused to go any further。 For she always wanted to lead me on and on； and whenever I paused she would return to show herself； or to chide or encourage me in her mysterious language。 All her pretty little arts were now practiced in vain： with cheek resting on my hand； I still sat；
So my eyes fixed on that patch of yellow sand at my feet； watching how the small particles glinted like diamond dust when the sunlight touched them。 A full hour passed in this way； during which I encouraged myself by saying mentally： 〃This is a contest between us； and the most patient and the strongest of will； which should be the man； must conquer。 And if I win on this occasion； it will be easier for me in the futureeasier to discover those things which I am resolved to know； and the girl must reveal to me； since the old man has proved impracticable。〃
Meanwhile she came and went and came again； and at last； finding that I was not to be moved； she approached and stood near me。 Her face； when I glanced at it； had a somewhat troubled lookboth troubled and curious。
〃Come here； Rima；〃 I said； 〃and stay with me for a little whileI cannot follow you now。〃
She took one or two hesitating steps； then stood still again； and at length； slowly and reluctantly； advanced to within a yard of me。 Then I rose from my seat on the root； so as to catch her face better； and placed my hand against the rough bark of the tree。
〃Rima；〃 I said； speaking in a low； caressing tone； 〃will you stay with me here a little while and talk to me； not in your language； but in mine； so that I may understand？ Will you listen when I speak to you； and answer me？〃
Her lips moved； but made no sound。 She seemed strangely disquieted； and shook back her loose hair； and with her small toes moved the sparkling sand at her feet； and once or twice her eyes glanced shyly at my face。
〃Rime； you have not answered me；〃 I persisted。 〃Will you not say yes？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Where does your grandfather spend his day when he goes out with his dogs？〃
She shook her head slightly； but would not speak。
〃Have you no mother； Rima？ Do you remember your mother？〃
〃My mother！ My mother！〃 she exclaimed in a low voice； but with a sudden； wonderful animation。 Bending a little nearer； she continued： 〃Oh； she is dead！ Her body is in the earth and turned to dust。 Like that；〃 and she moved the loose sand with her foot。 〃Her soul is up there； where the stars and the angels are； grandfather says。 But what is that to me？ I am heream I not？ I talk to her just the same。 Everything I see I point out； and tell her everything。 In the daytimein the woods； when we are together。 And at night when I lie down I cross my arms on my breastso； and say： 'Mother； mother； now you are in my arms； let us go to sleep together。' Sometimes I say： 'Oh； why will you never answer me when I speak and speak？' Mothermothermother！〃
At the end her voice suddenly rose to a mournful cry； then sunk； and at the last repetition of the word died to a low whisper。
〃Ah； poor Rima！ she is dead and cannot speak to youcannot hear you！ Talk to me； Rima； I am living and can answer。〃
But now the cloud； which had suddenly lifted from her heart； letting me see for a moment into its mysterious depthsits fancies so childlike and feelings so intensehad fallen again； and my words brought no response； except a return of that troubled look to her face。
〃Silent still？〃 I said。 〃Talk to me； then； of your mother； Rima。 Do you know that you will see her again some day？〃
〃Yes； when I die。 That is what the priest said。〃
〃The priest？〃
〃Yes； at Voado you know？ Mother died there when I was smallit is so far away！ And there are thirteen houses by the side of the riverjust here； and on this sidetrees； trees。〃
This was important； I thought； and would lead to the very knowledge I wished for； so I pressed her to tell me more about the settlement she had named； and of which I had never heard。
〃Everything have I told you；〃 she returned； surprised that I did not know that she had exhausted the subject in those half…dozen words she had spoken。
Obliged to shift my ground； I said at a venture： 〃Tell me； what do you ask of the Virgin Mother when you kneel before her picture？ Your grandfather told me that you had a picture in your little room。〃
〃You know！〃 flashed out her answer； with something like resentment。
〃It is all there in there；〃 waving her hand towards the hut。 〃Out here in the wood it is all gonelike this；〃 and stooping quickly； she raised a little yellow sand on her palm； then let it run away through her fingers。
Thus she illustrated how all the matters she had been taught slipped from her mind when she was out of doors； out of sight of the picture。 After an interval she added： 〃Only mother is herealways with me。〃
〃Ah； poor Rima！〃 I said； 〃alone without a mother； and only your old grandfather！ He is oldwhat will you do when he dies and flies away to the starry country where your mother is？〃
She looked inquiringly at me； then made answer in a low voice： 〃You are here。〃
〃But when I go away？〃
She was silent； and not wishing to dwell on a subject that seemed to pain her； I continued： 〃Yes； I am here now； but you will not stay with me and talk freely！ Will it always be the same if I remain with you？ Why are you always so silent in the house； so cold with your old grandfather？ So differentso full of life； like a bird； when you are alone in the woods？ Rima； speak to me！ Am I no more to you than your old grandfather？ Do you not like me to talk to you？〃
She appeared strangely disturbed at my words。 〃Oh； you are not like him；〃 she suddenly replied。 〃Sitting all day on a log by the fireall day； all day； Goloso and Susio lying beside himsleep； sleep。 Oh； when I saw you in the wood I followed you； and talked and talked； still no answer。 Why will you not come when I call？ To me！〃 Then； mocking my voice： 〃Rime； Rima！ Come here！ Do this！ Say that！ Rima！ Rima！ It is nothing； nothingit is not you；〃 pointing to my mouth； and then； as if fearing that her meaning had not been made clear； suddenly touching my lips with her finger。 〃Why do you not answer me？speak to mespeak to me； like this！〃 And turning a little more towards me； and glancing at me with eyes that had all at once changed； losing their clouded expression for one of exquisite tenderness； from her lips came a succession of those mysterious sounds which had first attracted me to her； swift and low and bird…like； yet with something so much higher and more soul…penetrating than any bird…music。 Ah； what feeling and fancies； what quaint turns of expression； unfamiliar to my mind； were contained in those sweet； wasted symbols！ I could never knownever come to her when she called； or respond to her spirit。 To me they would always be inarticulate sounds； affecting me like a tender spiritual musica language without words； suggesting more than words to the soul。
The mysterious speech died down to a lisping sound； like the faint note of some small bird falling from a cloud of foliage on the topmost bough of a tree； and at the same time that new light passed from her eyes； and she half averted her face in a disappointed way。
〃Rima；〃 I said at length； a new thought coming to my aid； 〃it is true that I am not here；〃 touching my lips as she had done； 〃and that my words are nothing。 But look into my eyes； and you will see me thereall； all that is in my heart。〃
〃Oh； I know what I should see there！〃 she returned quickly。
〃What would you seetell me？〃
〃There is a little black ball in the middle of your eye； I should see myself in it no bigger than that；〃 and she marked off about an eighth of her little fingernail。 〃There is a pool in the wood； and I look down and see myself there。 That is better。 Just as large as I amnot small and black like a small； small fly。〃 And after saying this a little disdainfully； she moved away from my side and out into the sunshine； and then； half turning towards me； and glancing first at my face and then upwards； she raised her hand to call my attention to something there。
Far up； high as the tops of the tallest trees； a great blue…winged butterfly was passing across the open space with loitering flight。 In a few moments it was gone over the trees； then she turned once more to me with a little rippling sound of laughterthe first I had heard from her； and called： 〃Come； come！〃
I was glad enough to go with her then； and for the next two hours we rambled together in the wood； that is； together in her way； for though always near she contrived to keep out of my sight most of the time。 She was evidently now in a gay； frolicsome temper； again and again； when I looked closely into some wide…spreading bush； or peered behind a tree； when her calling voice had sounded； her rippling laughter would come to me from some other spot。 At length； somewhere about the centre of the wood； she led me to an immense mora tree； growing almost isolated； covering with its shade a large space of ground entirely free from undergrowth。 At this spot she all at once vanished from my side； and after listening and watching some time in vain； I sat down beside the giant trunk to wait for her。 Very soon I heard a low； warbling sound which seemed quite near。
〃Rime！ Rima！〃 I called； and instantly my call was repeated like an echo。 Again and again I called； and still the words flew back to me； and I could not decide whether it was an echo or not。 Then I gave up calling； and presently the low； warbling sound was repeated； and I knew that Rima was somewhere near me。
〃Rime； where are you？〃 I called。
〃Rime； where are you？〃 came the answer。
〃You are behind the tree。〃
〃You are behind the tree。〃
〃I shall catch you； Rima。〃 And this time； instead of repeating my words； she answered： 〃Oh no。〃
I jumped up and ran round the tree； feeling sure that I should find her。 It was about thirty…five or forty feet in circumference； and after going round two or three times； I turned and ran the other way； but failing to catch a glimpse of her I at last sat down again。
〃Rime； Rima！〃