He got up and moved away. The sun had set, but the sky was bright and clear blue, as it often is of a summer night. Mist from land and water rose and floated over the mountains on both sides; but the peaks held themselves above it, and stood peering at one another. He went higher up. The lake grew blacker and deeper, and seemed, as it were, to contract. The upper valley shortened, and drew closer to the lake. The mountains were nearer to the eye, but looked more like a shapeless mass, for the light of the sun defines. The sky itself appeared nearer, and all surrounding objects became friendly and familiar. CHAPTER IX. Love and woman were beginning to play a prominent part in his thoughts; in the ancient ballads and stories of the olden times such themes were reflected as in a magic mirror, just as the girl had been in the lake. He constantly brooded over them, and after that evening he found pleasure in singing about them; for they seemed, as it were, to have come nearer home to him. But the thought glided away, and floated back again with a song that was unknown to him; he felt as though another had made it for him,-- "Fair Venevill bounded on lithesome feet Her lover to meet. He sang till it sounded afar away, 'Good-day, good-day,' While blithesome birds were singing on every blooming spray 'On Midsummer Day There is dancing and play; But now I know not whether she weaves her wreath or nay.' "She wove him a wreath of corn-flowers blue: 'Mine eyes so true.' He took it, but soon away it was flung: 'Farewell!' he sung; And still with merry singing across the fields he sprung 'On Midsummer Day,' etc. "She wove him a chain. 'Oh, keep it with care! 'T is made of my hair.' She yielded him then, in an hour of bliss, Her pure first kiss; But he blushed as deeply as she the while her lips met his. 'On Midsummer Day,' etc. "She wove him a wreath with a lily-band: 'My true right hand.' She wove him another with roses aglow: 'My left hand, now.' He took them gently from her, but blushes dyed his brow 'On Midsummer Day,' etc. "She wove him a wreath of all flowers round: 'All I have found.' She wept, but she gathered and wove on still: 'Take all you will.' Without a word he took it, and fled across the hill. 'On Midsummer Day,' etc. "She wove on, bewildered and out of breath: 'My bridal wreath.' She wove till her fingers aweary had grown: 'Now put it on.' But when she turned to see him, she found that he had gone. 'On Midsummer Day,' etc.