ran the other way； but failing to catch a glimpse of her I at last sat down again。
〃Rime； Rima！〃 sounded the mocking voice as soon as I had sat down。 〃Where are you； Rima？ I shall catch you； Rima！ Have you caught Rima？〃
〃No； I have not caught her。 There is no Rima now。 She has faded away like a rainbowlike a drop of dew in the sun。 I have lost her； I shall go to sleep。〃 And stretching myself out at full length under the tree； I remained quiet for two or three minutes。 Then a slight rustling sound was heard； and I looked eagerly round for her。 But the sound was overhead and caused by a great avalanche of leaves which began to descend on me from that vast leafy canopy above。
〃Ah； little spider…monkeylittle green tree…snakeyou are there！〃 But there was no seeing her in that immense aerial palace hung with dim drapery of green and copper…coloured leaves。 But how had she got there？ Up the stupendous trunk even a monkey could not have climbed； and there were no lianas dropping to earth from the wide horizontal branches that I could see； but by and by； looking further away； I perceived that on one side the longest lower branches reached and mingled with the shorter boughs of the neighbouring trees。 While gazing up I heard her low； rippling laugh； and then caught sight of her as she ran along an exposed horizontal branch； erect on her feet； and my heart stood still with terror； for she was fifty to sixty feet above the ground。 In another moment she vanished from sight in a cloud of foliage； and I saw no more of her for about ten minutes； when all at once she appeared at my side once more； having come round the trunk of the more。 Her face had a bright； pleased expression； and showed no trace of fatigue or agitation。
I caught her hand in mine。 It was a delicate； shapely little hand； soft as velvet； and warma real human hand； only now when I held it did she seem altogether like a human being and not a mocking spirit of the wood； a daughter of the Didi。
〃Do you like me to hold your hand； Rima？〃
〃Yes；〃 she replied； with indifference。
〃Is it I？〃
〃Yes。〃 This time as if it was small satisfaction to make acquaintance with this purely physical part of me。
Having her so close gave me an opportunity of examining that light sheeny garment she wore always in the woods。 It felt soft and satiny to the touch； and there was no seam nor hem in it that I could see； but it was all in one piece； like the cocoon of the caterpillar。 While I was feeling it on her shoulder and looking narrowly at it； she glanced at me with a mocking laugh in her eyes。
〃Is it silk？〃 I asked。 Then； as she remained silent； I continued： 〃Where did you get this dress； Rima？ Did you make it yourself？ Tell me。〃
She answered not in words； but in response to my question a new look came into her face； no longer restless and full of change in her expression； she was now as immovable as an alabaster statue； not a silken hair on her head trembled； her eyes were wide open； gazing fixedly before her； and when I looked into them they seemed to see and yet not to see me。 They were like the clear； brilliant eyes of a bird； which reflect as in a miraculous mirror all the visible world but do not return our look and seem to see us merely as one of the thousand small details that make up the whole picture。 Suddenly she darted out her hand like a flash； making me start at the unexpected motion； and quickly withdrawing it； held up a finger before me。 From its tip a minute gossamer spider； about twice the bigness of a pin's head； appeared suspended from a fine； scarcely visible line three or four inches long。
〃Look！〃 she exclaimed； with a bright glance at my face。
The small spider she had captured； anxious to be free； was falling； falling earthward； but could not reach the surface。 Leaning her shoulder a little forward； she placed the finger…tip against it； but lightly； scarcely touching； and moving continuously； with a motion rapid as that of a fluttering moth's wing； while the spider； still paying out his line； remained suspended； rising and falling slightly at nearly the same distance from the ground。 After a few moments she cried： 〃Drop down； little spider。〃 Her finger's motion ceased； and the minute captive fell； to lose itself on the shaded ground。
〃Do you not see？〃 she said to me； pointing to her shoulder。 Just where the finger…tip had touched the garment a round shining spot appeared； looking like a silver coin on the cloth； but on touching it with my finger it seemed part of the original fabric； only whiter and more shiny on the grey ground； on account of the freshness of the web of which it had just been made。
And so all this curious and pretty performance； which seemed instinctive in its spontaneous quickness and dexterity； was merely intended to show me how she made her garments out of the fine floating lines of small gossamer spiders！
Before I could express my surprise and admiration she cried again； with startling suddenness： 〃Look！〃
A minute shadowy form darted by； appearing like a dim line traced across the deep glossy more foliage； then on the lighter green foliage further away。 She waved her hand in imitation of its swift； curving flight； then； dropping it； exclaimed： 〃Goneoh； little thing！〃
〃What was it？〃 I asked； for it might have been a bird； a bird…like moth； or a bee。
〃Did you not see？ And you asked me to look into your eyes！〃
〃Ah； little squirrel Sakawinki； you remind me of that！〃 I said； passing my arm round her waist and drawing her a little closer。 〃Look into my eyes now and see if I am blind； and if there is nothing in them except an image of Rima like a small； small fly。〃
She shook her head and laughed a little mockingly； but made no effort to escape from my arm。
〃Would you like me always to do what you wish； Rimato follow you in the woods when you say 'Come'to chase you round the tree to catch you； and lie down for you to throw leaves on me； and to be glad when you are glad？〃
〃Oh； yes。〃
〃Then let us make a compact。 I shall do everything to please you； and you must promise to do everything to please me。〃
〃Tell me。〃
〃Little things； Rimanone so hard as chasing you round a tree。 Only to have you stand or sit by me and talk will make me happy。 And to begin you must call me by my nameAbel。〃
〃Is that your name？ Oh； not your real name！ Abel； Abelwhat is that？ It says nothing。 I have called you by so many namestwenty； thirtyand no answer。〃
〃Have you？ But； dearest girl； every person has a name； one name he is called by。 Your name； for instance； is Rima； is it not？〃
〃Rima！ only Rimato you？ In the morning； in the evening 。 。 。 now in this place and in a little while where know I？ 。 。 。 in the night when you wake and it is dark； dark； and you see me all the same。 Only Rimaoh； how strange！〃
〃What else； sweet girl？ Your grandfather Nuflo calls you Rima。〃
〃Nuflo？〃 She spoke as if putting a question to herself。 〃Is that an old man with two dogs that lives somewhere in the wood？〃 And then； with sudden petulance： 〃And you ask me to talk to you！〃
〃Oh； Rima； what can I say to you？ Listen〃
〃No； no；〃 she exclaimed； quickly turning and putting her fingers on my mouth to stop my speech； while a sudden merry look shone in her eves。 〃You shall listen when I speak； and do all I say。 And tell me what to do to please you with your eyeslet me look in your eyes that are not blind。〃
She turned her face more towards me and with head a little thrown back and inclined to one side； gazing now full into my eyes as I had wished her to do。 After a few moments she glanced away to the distant trees。 But I could see into those divine orbs； and knew that she was not looking at any particular object。 All the ever…varying expressionsinquisitive； petulant； troubled； shy； frolicsome had now vanished from the still face； and the look was inward and full of a strange； exquisite light； as if some new happiness or hope had touched her spirit。
Sinking my voice to a whisper； I said： 〃Tell me what you have seen in my eyes； Rima？〃
She murmured in reply something melodious and inarticulate； then glanced at my face in a questioning way； but only for a moment； then her sweet eyes were again veiled under those drooping lashes。
〃Listen； Rima；〃 I said。 〃Was that a humming…bird we saw a little while ago？ You are like that； now dark； a shadow in the shadow； seen for an instant； and thengone； oh； little thing！ And now in the sunshine standing still； how beautiful！a thousand times more beautiful than the humming…bird。 Listen； Rima； you are like all beautiful things in the woodflower； and bird； and butterfly； and green leaf； and frond； and little silky…haired monkey high up in the trees。 When I look at you I see them allall and more； a thousand times； for I see Rima herself。 And when I listen to Rima's voice； talking in a language I cannot understand； I hear the wind whispering in the leaves； the gurgling running water； the bee among the flowers； the organ…bird singing far； far away in the shadows of the trees。 I hear them all； and more； for I hear Rima。 Do you understand me now？ Is it I speaking to youhave I answered youhave I come to you？〃
She glanced at me again； her lips trembling； her eyes now clouded with some secret trouble。 〃Yes；〃 she replied in a whisper； and then： 〃No； it is not you；〃 and after a moment； doubtfully： 〃Is it you？〃
But she did not wait to be answered： in a moment she was gone round the more； nor would she return again for all my calling。
CHAPTER IX
That afternoon with Rima in the forest under the mora tree had proved so delightful that I was eager for more rambles and talks with her； but the variable little witch had a great surprise in store for me。 All her wild natural gaiety had unaccountably gone out of her： when I walked in the shade she was there； but no longer as the blithe； fantastic being； bright as an angel； innocent and affectionate as a child； tricksy as a monkey； that had played at hide…and…seek with me。 She was now my shy； silent attendant； only occasionally visible； and appearing then like the mysterious maid I had found reclining among the ferns who had melted away mist…like from sight as I gazed。 When I called she