magnificent garden-house, which seemed to have similar prospects and entrances on the other sides!  The heavenly music which streamed from the building transported me still more than this model of architecture.  I fancied that I heard now a lute, now a harp, now a guitar, and now something tinkling which did not belong to any of these instruments.  The door for which we made opened soon on being lightly touched by the old man.  But how was I amazed when the porteress who came out perfectly resembled the delicate girl who had danced upon my fingers in the dream!  She greeted me as if we were already acquainted, and invited me to walk in.  The old man staid behind; and I went with her through a short passage, arched and finely ornamented, to the middle hall, the splendid, dome-like ceiling of which attracted my gaze on my entrance, and filled me with astonishment.  Yet my eye could not dwell on this long, being allured down by a more charming spectacle.  On a carpet, directly under the middle of the cupola, sat three women in a triangle, clad in three different colors,—­ one red, the other yellow, the third green.  The seats were gilt, and the carpet was a perfect flower-bed.  In their arms lay the three instruments which I had been able to distinguish from without; for, being disturbed by my arrival, they had stopped their playing.  “Welcome!” said the middle one, who sat with her face to the door, in a red dress, and with the harp.  “Sit down by Alerte, and listen, if you are a lover of music.”

Now only I remarked that there was a rather long bench placed obliquely before them, on which lay a mandolin.  The pretty girl took it up, sat down, and drew me to her side.  Now also I looked at the second lady on my right.  She wore the yellow dress, and had the guitar in her hand; and if the harp-player was dignified in form, grand in features, and majestic in her deportment, one might remark in the guitar-player an easy grace and cheerfulness.  She was a slender blonde, while the other was adorned by dark-brown hair.  The variety and accordance of their music could not prevent me from remarking the third beauty, in the green dress, whose lute-playing was for me at once touching and striking.  She was the one who seemed to notice me the most, and to direct her music to me:  only I could not make up my mind about her; for she appeared to me now tender, now whimsical, now frank, now self-willed, according as she changed her mien and mode of playing.  Sometimes she seemed to wish to excite my emotions, sometimes to tease me; but, do what she would, she got little out of me; for my little neighbor, by whom I sat elbow to elbow, had gained me entirely to herself:  and while I clearly saw in those three ladies the sylphides of my dream, and recognized the colors of the apples, I conceived that I had no cause to detain them.  I should have liked better to lay hold of the pretty little maiden if I had not but too well remembered the blow she had given me in my dream.