Whereupon the Magician bowed once and again, mounted his horse, and rode away.

Dorigen and Arviragus were walking on the cliffs as the Magician parted from Aurelius.  They noticed the two men, and when the horseman rode away they saw a strange white mist rise from the sea and follow the rider.

Dorigen caught her husband’s arm, for there, there, out at sea, and close by the cliffs, were the rocks, grisly and black and fearsome as before.  The sunlight fell on her jewel, and it shone more brightly than of old, nor did its light ever grow dim in all the happy years that followed.

II

EMELIA

Emelia the Radiant lived in a great castle in Athens.

Hippolyta, Emelia’s sister, had once been queen of the Warrior Women, and had led her armies to battle.  But Emelia had never fought in these battles.  When she was still a child, Duke Theseus of Athens had fought with Hippolyta and conquered her.  Instead of sending his royal captive to prison, Theseus married her, and took her home to Athens with him.  When he took her there, he took Emelia with her.  He was very kind to them both, and the castle in Athens was a happy home for Hippolyta and her little sister.

As Emelia grew up she became most beautiful.  She was more graceful than a lily on its stem, and the flush on her cheeks was more delicate than the hue of the rose-petals in the old Greek castle garden.  Her golden hair fell in heavy masses round her face, and lay in a great plait down her back.  It caught all the light that fell on it, and sent it out again to make glad the hearts of those who looked on her.  So men called her Emelia the Radiant, and all who met her smiled for joy at the sight of so beautiful a maid.

One May morning Emelia went into the castle garden to bathe her face in the early dew.  Everything was dim and gray in the twilight.  She looked up at the great dungeon tower which overshadowed the garden, and thought of the two young princes who were prisoners there.  Duke Theseus had brought them from Thebes.  He was very proud of them, and would not give them up, although the people of their land offered to give him gold and jewels for their ransom.  The princes were cousins, and were the last of the royal line of Thebes.  In the stillness Emelia murmured their names to herself, “Palamon and Arcite, Palamon and Arcite.  How miserable they must be in their narrow cell!” she thought.  Then she sighed that life should be so sad for them while it was so bright for her!

As she roamed up and down and gathered roses white and red to make a garland for her hair, the sun broke through the mist and shone into the garden.  Once more she raised her eyes to the tower.  This time she did not look at it, but at the sunlit clouds beyond.  The light from the east fell on her.  Her hair shone like gold, and her face was radiant with happiness.