Angels and Women (1924)

96 ANGELS AND WOMEN
elegantly appointed vehicles passing in an
ever-changing, ever-renewed stream of life
and beauty; while upon the lofty eminence of
the mountain the enormous serpent still
twined and twisted like a thing of life. The
buildings of the marble city harmonized in
style with the Palace of Light. Upon the
highest point of each glittered a golden star.
At a distance, near the entrance of the valley,
was a singular structure, entirely unlike
the others, of wood, bulky and low, without
any attempted beauty of proportion, at
which I wondered greatly.
And while I mused, a woman attended by
a slave came through the open door near me
and sat down on the opposite side of the balcony.
She was attired after the elegant but dissolute
style of the Palace, and though beautiful
in face and figure, had a worn and melancholy
expression. I saluted her respectfully
and enquired if I should disturb her by remaining.
She answered that these were her