The Shepherd’s Flute, 5.
Even now, when strangers walk past our garden hedge,
I often see their young eyes flow with dangerous ques¬
tions and desires. Never has a look of mine answered
ond of them. And even the foreignnenuscholars who con¬
verse with you about the comets of future centuries,
se fdom neglect an opportunity of insinuating to me,
and
by their ogling ae smiling, that they would value
my favour more than all the lore of sun, moon, and
sters. Have I ever shown any one of them other cour-
tesy than such as is due to guess who break bread
with us?"
M lkngly Eraemus replied: "Surely you do not
fancy, Dionysia, that you have told me — who know
mankind — anything new by these remarks? Even if
your conduct has always been without a flaw, do I
know from that, and do you know, Dionysia, whether
your inIacessKlblity reveals your nature’s true ex-
pression? Or have you resisted all advances, and do
you believe yourself resolved to resist them in future,
because it never entered your head till now that it
could be otherwise, or because you secretly feared
to lose forever the comfort to which your existence
has become accustomed, if you onceattempted to set