Their port was more than human, as they stood; I took it for a fairy vision Of some gay creatures of the element, That in the colours of the rainbow live, And play i' the plighted clouds. I was awe-struck, LADY. Gentle villager, What readiest way would bring me to that place? COMUS. Due west it rises from this shrubby point. LADY. To find out that, good shepherd, I suppose, In such a scant allowance of star-light, Would overtask the best land-pilot's art, Without the sure guess of well-practised feet. Dingle, or bushy dell of this wild wood, But loyal cottage, where you may be safe Till further quest. LADY. Shepherd, I take thy word, And trust thy honest-offered courtesy, Which oft is sooner found in lowly sheds With smoky rafters, than in tap'stry halls And courts of princes, where it first was named, And yet is most pretended: in a place Less warranted than this, or less secure, I cannot be, that I should fear to change it. Eye me, blest Providence, and square my trial To my proportioned strength! Shepherd, lead on. Unmuffle, ye ELDER BROTHER. faint stars; and thou fair moon, That wont'st 12 to love the traveller's benizon, Stoop thy pale visage through an amber cloud, And disinherit Chaos, that reigns here In double night of darkness and of shades ; your influence be quite dammed up Or if With black usurping mists, some gentle taper, Though a rush-candle from the wicker hole Of some clay habitation, visit us With thy long levelled rule of streaming light, Or Tyrian Cynosure. SECOND BROTHER. Or, if our eyes Be barred that happiness, might we but hear Or whistle from the lodge, or village cock But oh, that hapless virgin, our lost sister! Where may she wander now? whither betake her From the chill dew, amongst rude burs and thistles ? Perhaps some cold bank is her bolster now; |