Ariston began to despair of the success of his passion, but he was too speedily obliged to confess that this very time, which he complained of so justly, and in which he felt so keenly the hopelessness of his love, had, notwithstanding, been the most happy period of his life. A year after his arrival on the island he celebrated the return of that memorable day on which he had first beheld Ravissante. In the evening he gave her a fête in the forest of hyacinths. Marvellous music was heard in every part of the forest without any one being able to discover from whence the sounds proceeded. All that was sung by these invisible musicians tenderly expressed the love of Ariston for the Princess; they concluded their admirable concert by these words, which were repeated several times:-- Nor reason nor relentless Fate My sufferings can terminate! Without one ray of hope to cheer, I feel my heart consuming here. How great his power Love never knew Till from those eyes his arrows flew. After the music, there appeared suddenly an elegant collation under a tent of silver gauze, elegantly looped up with ropes of pearls; it was open on the side towards the sea, which bounded the forest in that direction; and was illuminated by a great number of chandeliers formed of brilliants, which emitted an effulgence nearly equal to that of the sun. It was by this light that the nymphs of the court of Ravissante pointed out to her an inscription at the entrance of the pavilion, written in letters of gold upon a ruby of immense magnitude, supported by twelve little cupids, who flew away as soon as the Princess had heard this inscription read, which consisted of these lines:-- Where'er throughout the world those lovely eyes May the devoted hearts of men enchain, For one as true as in this desert sighs Those lovely eyes may search, sweet maid, in vain. But through that world your glory to proclaim, And every mortal to your altar bring, Princess, we haste to bid the trump of Fame With praise of beauty so divine to ring.