Olympian Nights

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d was a huge window, before which were drawn portières of rich material in most graceful folds. Pulling these to one side, so that I might see what the outlook from the window might be, I staggered back appalled at the infinite grandeur of what lay before my eyes. It seemed as if all space were there, and yet within the compass of my vision. Planets which to my eye had hitherto been but twinkling specks of light in the b

d greeted my vision, and how all that had faded and the immediate surroundings of a celestial city lay before me, were not easy to understand. I drew back and closed the window again, and at once all became clear; the window-glass held the magic properties of the magnifying-le

e, came upon me as I stood on the brink of the Niagaran cataract, which seemed irresistibly impelling me to join the mad rush of the waters, surged over me again, and I forced myself backward into the room, shutting out the sight, lest I should cast myself forth into the infinite space beyond. I t

amed from unknown and unseen sources, so it was with the harmonies which followed,

n I stood up to indulge in the usual stretching of my limbs I found myself clad in an immaculate flowing robe of white, soft of texture, fastened at the neck with a jewelled brooch, and at the waist its fulness restrained by a girdle of gold. Furthermore, I had apparently been put through a process of ablution which left me with the cockles of my heart as warm as

r breakfast. It's a slight drawback to know nothing of the customs of the locality in whic

und nothing which, according to my simple bringing up, suggeste

red. "Perhaps they will if I ring for on

nd in the purely mundane caravansary. I found that anything under the canopy that the mind of man could conceive of could be had by the mere pushing of a button. The disk of the electrical apparatus was divided off into many sections, calling respectively for saddle-horses, symphony concerts, ocean steamships, bath-towels, stenographers;

a bad appearance in the dining-room in a costume which should not be appropriate. I did think of ordering breakfast s

and no doubt he will select the thing I oug

ture stood before me. Whence he sprang I do not know. There were no opening of doo

ir," said he, with

was going on. "I-ah-think there must be some mistak

from the calf of his leg, the contour of which was beautiful to look upon, clad in

on of the way the gods were ordering things on O

hs that I am here. You know that I am a resident of Ol

. "Even with us, our swellest

ituation does credit to your sense of what is polite, sir. Unfortunately for me, however, my position is more like

rm to converse with a servant, and remembering only that I was addressing an old f

e is very mixed. It's full of self-made immo

ried, "takes your plac

self than he does in looking after guests, the result of which is that after my departure things get topsy-tur

ction is possible," said I,

t instead of keeping his eye on what he was doing, he was looking at himself in the glass all the time. Jupiter in his anger hurled a thunderbolt at him, but, fortunately for Narcissus, he hurled it at the mirrored and not at the real Narc

ould you pre

n't mind being a nabob once in a while, you know. Besides-ah-don't say anything about it to anybody up here, but I'm getting a trifle tired of Venus. She is still beautiful, but you can't get over the id

haking my finger at him; "still

all, only when one is born with faiblesse instead of noblesse, it becomes faiblesse obli

since I have no wish to commit myself thus publicly. I will say, how

f her boarders she is a mighty fine landlady, and, like most ladies, if I may say it with all due modesty, she has taken an interest in me. The result is that I have the best suite in the house, overlooking t

s fault, it is mine. What I wished of you was that you should get out

o the clothes-closet. "Pardon me, but-a

ied. "Not that I am unwi

u are a naval officer, I will put out your admiral's uniform.

terary man

s eyebrows. "Then, of course,

e cloth vest with white polka dots, and a long, gray Prince Albert coat, with mauve satin lapels. The shirt was p

nis!" I cried. "M

o so," said he. "But I thought y

el

what they wear so long as th

t way, Adonis," said I. "Some of us

aid he. "I guess it must b

And if you don't mind, I'd r

I